Golden
by Snitchy McSnitchsnitch
Summary: And I saw God cry in the reflection of my enemies, and all the lovers with no time for me. And all of the mothers raised their babies to stay away from me...and pray they don't grow up to be..
1. Golden

_**Disclaimer: Don't own this. Enjoy!**_

_And I knew that the lights of the city were too heavy for me...._

"Arianna can you stay behind for a moment? I'd like to have a word with you," drawled Professor Snape, the potions master's voice.

Arianna's head snapped up from the cauldron she had been working over. "Um…okay…" She stuttered nervously, pouring a few drops of her draught of the living dead into a beaker. She packed up her supplied, letting the other kids file out of the room.

'I've probably failed,' she thought miserably. 'I've probably not even managed a 'P', and he's telling me I've failed and I'll never amount to anything and father will hate me…I'll have to work at a burger joint and all the other wizards will know what a loser I am, I'm such a loser I can't even manage a P in potions, I mean everyone else probably did but me, I'm crap at Ravenclaw-'

"Miss Acton, are you listening to me?"

Arianna met Snape's gaze to find him giving her a very annoyed look.

"Um…yes…I mean…no..What I mean is no. Oh. Um…I'm sorry sir." She stared down at her shoes.

Snape rolled his eyes deeply. "I was saying, Miss Acton, is that you have had the highest potions grade for the past seven years running. Quite unusual, yet a tad impressive. I was curious, what were your aspirations after Hogwarts?"

"I had been thinking, um, of curse breaking, like my mom. I could be good at it, I think."

Snapes eyes searched her face for a second, though he kept his own motionless.

"Yes. Quite a difficult profession. Should you need a recommendation, I would provide it."

Arianna looked up at him, blinked, and then blurted, "You don't hate me?"

Snape sighed and rubbed his eyes. "No Miss Acton, I do not, though your mere presence is giving me a headache."

"Oh. Right. Well…um…thanks, sir."

Snape motioned for her to leave, and she quickly jumped up, tripping over her bag as she made her way out the door…

Present Time-  
Ten years had passed since Arianna had graduated, seven since Voldermort had been defeated, and eight since she had become a curse breaker for Gringotts.

Presently she found herself tangled up in crisp, white sheets in Albania where she had just spent two weeks trying to break a curse on a particular pair of shoes. Arianna had been excited when, upon lifting the curse, had been presented with an identical pair of glass heels, just like Cinderella's had been, if she were real.

However, now Arianna slept, her red hair curling around her fingers, blissfully unaware of the owl outside her window.

The owl, tawny with amber eyes, had been rapping on the window for the better part of an hour, and was now entertaining the thought of launching itself through the actual glass.

Just as it seemed this could be only way to wake her, Arianna miraculously woke up, and let the owl in.

"Hope you weren't out there long mate," she greeted cheerfully, offering it a biscuit.

"Hm," she skimmed the letter, flipped it over, and wrote three words: "Sure, why not?"

The letter was from Minerva McGonagal, asking if she would take up the potions post as Hogwarts. Arianna was fond of potions, not to mention talented at it, though her days at Hogwarts still plagued her. She had been awkward, physically and socially, never fitting in with anyone while there.

"I agreed to take the potions post," she told the owl as she pulled her hair into a messy pony tail. "What do you think? Teaching snotty kids all day long, seems dangerous. More dangerous than curse breaking, and that's saying something, I've almost died twice!"

The owl chewed its biscuit, but she didn't really expect it to say much back, being an owl and all.

"I remember what the kids there were like, too. I wasn't too bad, but I didn't really talk nor have a personality either. Didn't come out of my shell until I started breaking these curses you know. Got start being a bit more forceful, if you know what I mean? People will curse you to pieces if you stand there for too long not saying anything."

The owl continued to stare.

"At any rate, I'm twenty seven, and it seems like I should have a proper career, not a job that could kill me, though I do fancy the traveling quite a bit. Actually, more than just a bit, I love it."

She sighed and flopped down on the bed.

"It'll make my parents happy. I don't think there's any danger at Hogwarts, not anymore. And if I get homesick for the road and adventure, I can always resume curse breaking. I'm not the only talented witch with a cauldron."

She tied the letter back the owl, which promptly flew off.

"Oh bugger," she said before promptly flopping back on the bed.

Arianna reached Hogwarts several days later, taking a train to London, and then a train to Hogwarts. She wasn't particularly fond of trains, it just happened to be the method available to her. She had settled into her new apartment within the castle on the fourth floor. It seemed that Professor Snape chose to remain in the dungeon, and she was just fine with that. A bit to chilly for her taste down there anyway.

She had been within the castle for approximately a week, loafing around and working on potion lessons in equal amounts, chatting with several teachers, and generally enjoying the end of the summer lazy atmosphere.

The first night she spent with everyone was the night the students arrived and McGonagall introduced her as the new potions master. She remained seated and did not smile, mostly in a hope to scare the students. Snape had been DADA teacher for the past eight years, and she fancied the idea of the children fearing her they way they feared him, although it seemed unlikely once they met her.

Her first day met her nervously, and she had slept poorly the night before.

"I can break curses that could kill me should they go wrong, oh sure, no problem," she said outloud as she prepared for the first group of the day, "But teaching small, sticky children and I'm shaking like a leaf in the fall. Perfect, bloody perfect. Maybe it will go fine. Maybe they will respect me and all do so well that everyone is shocked and impressed-"

"I wouldn't count on it, Miss Acton."

Snapes voice surprised her out of her mini pep talk.

"Severus! Snape? Um…I didn't notice you there!" she fumbled forward, stopping in front of him, suddenly feeling inadequate.

"Severus is just fine. I happened to be walking past when I heard your…little tirade." He arched an eyebrow.

"Oh. Yeah. Um, I guess I talk to myself. It's not crazy unless I start talking back though, right?" she gave a little laugh, one that he did not return.

"Clearly. If you have any need for assistance, I am available." He began to sweep out of the room, but turned quickly back around. "And Miss Acton. Do try and keep the children in line. I would hate to see them turn you into…a door mat."

"Arianna," she said, but he had already swept out, quite gloriously, she noted. It really was a talent the way that man walked in and out of a room like he owned it. "My name is Arianna."

At that point, small second years began to file in. taking seats in the desks. She stood there, waiting for them to all be in, and watching several run in late.

"You're all here then? I'm not going to call roll to be sure you're all here; I think you'll find it unnecessary. I'll know which of you chose to attend by the marks you receive in my class. I can be quite pleasant. Potions truly are an art, one I think all of you would find enjoyable, given the proper amount of studying and attention. I want to make you all masters. You can all achieve great things with potions. Now, I want you to read the instructions of the board and begin with a fairly simple sleeping draught."

The rest of the day passed in a similar fashion, and she found she had a bit of a knack for teaching, though the older kids seemed immune to her, and seemed to find potions a bit boring. The older they got, the smarter their mouths got, and by the end of the night she was about ready to beat one of them with an eraser.

"Bloody stupid kids, always with their comments," she muttered, putting jars back in the cabinets. "Can't just shut it while I'm trying to talk, oh no, have to make a funny remark, got to make their peers just laugh and laugh and laugh…"

"Talking to yourself again, I see," Severus stood in the door way looking unamused.

"You know, you really ought to make more noise when you walk, sneaking up on people like that is a bit creepy," she remarked, looking a trite annoyed.

"I think you would be able to hear me just fine if you weren't talking so loudly."

"Mm, yes, you would, wouldn't you."

"I must ask you why you removed twenty house points from Bartelby today."

She thought for a minute, trying to remember which little bugger he was. "Is the trollish looking one?"

Snape's face remained unwavering.

"Well, if it was, he began throwing lizard livers around the room, and those cost me ten galleons a piece!"

"It seems you lack control in your classroom."

"No, what I lack is fifteen pairs of eyes and six hundred extra hands to smack them all upside the head with! I can't be watching Bartlby when some other bloke is blowing up his neighbor now can I? Honestly you would think they would have a better grasp on potions at this point, not still be singing off their eyebrows!"

Snape cracked a smile. "Indeed you would, Miss Acton."  
Before he could sweep back out, Arianna said, "It's Arianna, Severus. I'm not your student anymore; I am your colleague….after all…"

The look he had on his face scared her a bit, though she didn't want to admit it to anyone, not even herself.

"Of course, Arianna. I will try and remember it in the future."

And he swept out of the room.

"Of course. Like a fucking bat that one. Wouldn't be surprised if he grew wings and fangs."


	2. Drinks

The next several weeks seemed to be the same old same, and Arianna found herself longing for the days of curse breaking. At least there she knew what she was doing. Un-cursing inanimate objects for money. She un-cursed them, Gringotts paid her. She spent some time travelling, getting to see the world, interesting men…

And here at Hogwarts she was, cleaning bat dung off the dungeon floor, while Snape brewed a potion a table away.

"It could happen to anyone," she said defensively.

"Yes. But it happens to you."

She sighed, wishing he could be more cooperative, or at least nicer. She would settle for some cheerfulness.

"You know, I think I was a relatively painless student. Did I give you much grief?"

He continued stirring his mixture.

"I'm going to take that as a no. I behaved, did my assignments, and if I recall, you wrote me a very nice recommendation to Gringotts."

Again, silence.

"I had a pretty good run with them, breaking curses. Had only two near death experiences. That I'm counting, at any rate, broke a lot of curses. Had a lot more back fire, and there were a lot of pieces that remain cursed to this day. Can't win them all I suppose."

"No, no you can not. Arianna, would you be so helpful as to retrieve me some bay leaves?"

"Sure. Anything to be rid of this infernal bat dung. Don't know how you did it for so long."

"It must be a gift."

She pulled out the bay leaves from her newly organized cabinet and began ripping them into small pieces for his elixir.

"Indeed, I think it must. Do you think I'll be an alright potions master?"

He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment. "You'll do."

"I'll take it," she said, slowly letting the leaves fall in. "I think that's as good as a compliment as I'll ever get."

He looked at her seriously. "Don't get used to it."

"Oh, I'm sure I will. My ego will be so large I will not be able to leave the dungeons."

"In that case I shall continue on with it."

"Funny, funny….speaking of funny, I'm pretty sure I heard Flitwick mentioning something of a dance of sorts…I don't remember a dance…"

Snape sighed deeply. "Yes. The dance. They do it before Christmas break, supposedly to allow the kids to unwind. It is only available to the older students, fourth year and above, and I'm sure the will try and get me to chaperone. Again…"

"Well I would enjoy seeing you in some dress robes!" she laughed to herself, dropping the last bay leaf in.

"Yes. I'm sure you would."

"Mmm. Anyway, with that potion I think you just keep stirring it until it turns lavender."

"I never would have guessed."

Arianna had gotten good at ignoring the sarcasm. "Good thing I told you then. Anyway, I'm off to enjoy my weekend with a stiff drink down at Hogs Head. You're more than welcome to join me, although I'm sure you won't. I just thought I would offer."

"You are too kind." Sarcasm.

Arianna walked quickly up to her apartment on the fourth floor, which she had grown to love quite a bit. She hadn't had a proper home in near forever, and wasn't used to her belongings being in the same place all the time. She enjoyed it, though, and liked the comfort of knowing that she would be in the same bed tomorrow that she was in today, and in once solid piece.

Inside she traded her black Hogwarts robes for a pair of blue jeans, white stretch t-shirt, and tennis shoes, and a green hooded cloak. It seemed casual enough for drinking down at the pub without distracting too much attention to herself, and it had been a long time since she had a good drink.

She found herself enjoying a pretty October day, slightly chilly, but otherwise perfect. The leaves had turned beautiful fally colors, and she lingered on the walk, soaking it all in. Fall was, in her opinion, the best time of the year.

Once she got to the pub, her feelings changed, and she immediately ordered a beer. The first sip was perfect, better than she had been daydreaming about, and she grinned into it, taking an even large gulp than before.

"Lovely beer then?" a voice came from next to her.

"Very lovely," she smiled at him.

"Derek."

"Arianna."

"Arianna the beer drinker, nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you as well, Derek the bar greeter."

Derek threw his head back and laughed. "Touché, touché."

A voice cleared itself with a loud, "Ahem" behind her, and she swiveled to find Severus standing behind her, scowling, yet managing to look awkward at the same time.

"Severus! How unexpected!"

"Indeed," he scowled, his eyes briefly lingering on Derek before occupying the stool next to her.

"I must be going Arianna, but it was a pleasure to meet you. May I owl you?" Derek had stood up, and offered his hand for a shake.

"Certainly. I'm up at Hogwarts."

"Excellent, I shall be sure to do so. Have a nice night, enjoy your beer."

She smiled back, "Oh, you can be certain I will!"

She watched him walk out and then turned her attention back to her beer. "Seems like a nice bloke."

"A nice bloke indeed, he had potions with you, you know." Snape looked at her seriously, before taking a drink of the foaming drink the bartender had just set in front of him.

"Really? I find it strange you know this."

"I remember my students, Arianna, particularly the less savory ones."

She finished off her drink with a gulp and flagged down for another one. "Unsavory. Unsavory how?"

"Unsavory in the way that he also enjoyed throwing lizard livers across the room."

Arianna frowned into her beer. "I don't seem to remember this."

"I don't expect you do."

"I wonder why he didn't notice me," she downed her second pint, and was feeling rather pleased with everything around her, though that may have had something to do with the amount of alcohol she had just begun to consume.

"Well, you don't look the same," Snape also gulped his down.

"Don't look the same? Don't look the same how? Still have all this flaming hair, it's not like it's not recognizable."

"I dunno. You're taller? Older? I didn't study you back then."

"I should hope not," she giggled, pulling her newest beer towards her.

Three more beers later Arianna could not stop laughing.

"Okay, so, get this. This one time, I'm in…fuck, I guess I'm Germany, I'm brand new, and this bloke is telling me of this mirror his grandmother cursed way before he is born, and if you look into it, it shows you how you'll die, or something, right?" And then she fell of the barstool in a peel of laughter.

Snape was almost as amused as she was, the atmosphere was a bit contagious, and he had caught up with her drinking very quickly.

"Yes?"

"Right. So, he has it covered in a black cloak. Turns out, it wasn't cursed at all! Just a simple charm an idiot can do!" She began laughing again, so hard that it appeared that she was in tears.

"Hey you lot, we're closing up in here." The bartender shot them both dirty looks.

Snape grabbed her upper arm and pulled her to her feet and they both staggered out the door, her leaning her weight onto him.

"Mmm, it's a lovely night out, isn't it?" she slurred out.

"Quite a nice night."

She stumbled forward, and he caught her deftly.

"It's been a while since I've had too much, can't even stumble home correctly." She giggled to herself.

"There is a correct way to stumble home?" he asked in amusement.

She spun around quickly, falling into his arms, though he righted her again once more. "Yes my bat like friend, there is. The correct way is to stumble as far as possible before falling asleep in a field or tree and hope that some stranger doesn't hack you to bits."

"Sounds promising," he retorted, allowing her to support her weight on him as they walked towards the castle.

"Quite the risk it is, but well worth the fun of trying to remember how you got onto the roof of seven story building."

"I can't imagine."

They continued walking until they had reached the castle.

"Can you make it up the stairs?"

S'long as they don't move," she slurred out.

"Seems reasonable," he reasoned, and with that in mind, began helping her up four flights of stairs.

"You're not as mean as you want me to believe."

He smirked down at her. "You're right, I am much meaner."

She giggled as he stopped in front of her door.

"I can't take you any further. Thank you for a nice evening, try and remember parts of it in the morning."

"I will Count Batula!" she giggled, stumbling through the portrait, leaving Snape amused and bewildered on the outside of it.


	3. Half naked

Arianna woke up the next morning in her bathroom completely confused as to how she got there. She remembered drinking with Severus, and then…

"Oh…no…I hope I didn't puke on him, I think he was just starting to like me!" she moaned to herself, he cheek pressed to the linoleum.

She stood up and looked into the mirror, slightly amused to find lines from the floor etched into her face.

"Interesting design," she commented before peeling herself out of her clothing from the night before and back into traditional Hogwarts garb. Breakfast was still going on, so she made her way down there for something delicious.

There she found Severus, looking as Snapeish as always, eating a bowl of what appeared to be oatmeal. She plopped down next to him and began piling sausages onto her plate.

"Hope I wasn't too obnoxious last night."

He sighed. "Don't worry. You were."

She began wolfing down sausages and pumpkin juice like it was her last meal, ignoring his sarcasm. She had a feeling that in order to be friends with a man like him would require doing a lot of that.

"Anyway, from what I remember I had a pretty good time, so you should go drinking with my more often, or at least again. Especially before Christmas gets here, then everyone and their brother will be in town, and that totally ruins the atmosphere."

He rolled his eyes and replied dryly, "Naturally."

She opened her mouth to say more, but an owl dropped a letter into a lap.

"Oh! I have a letter!"

"So it would seem."

She glanced quickly at him, noticing his lack of interest in what she was doing, and then tore it open with enthusiasm.

"No one ever writes but my parents, and even they have stopped writing, probably because I don't ever write anything interesting back and oh! It's from that guy in the pub!"

She cleared her throat and began reading aloud, while Severus tried very hard not to listen: " Arianna. I know it's procedure to wait for several days before owling, but I have to leave town in a week, so it seemed best to owl now. I was hoping you could meet me at Hogs Head again, maybe Friday? It was pleasant meeting you, hope to see you again.

Derek."

"Touching," said Snape, standing to leave. Arianna jumped up after him, clutching the letter.

"Not really, particularly, but I think he is asking me on a date. I haven't been on a date since I spent a month in Germany, and that was a disaster."

"Do you ever stop talking?" he asked her, clearly irritated.

She nodded, smiled, and began walking up stairs, smiling goodbye at him. He did not return the gesture, but she didn't mind. He was a busy man, and she knew pointless chatter would not change his behavior now.

"I wonder how old he is…"

"BARTLEBY!" Arianna screamed at the top of her lungs, so mad she was beyond seeing red.

He smirked at her, sauntering forward like he owned her dungeon.

"Yes, Professor Acton."

"Seventy points from Slytherin. Detention with me. For a week." She spat out, crisply enunciating each word.

"I can't imagine anything I would enjoy more," he smiled, earning laughter from his classmates.

"Sit down, Bartleby," she ordered. She had had enough with his antics, and would be failing him were she able to.

"Of course." He gave her a mock bow and went back to his seat where he proceeded to begin throwing fish eyes into other people cauldrons.

Having had enough of Bartleby and his merry band of idiots, Arianna swept out of the room and began the trudge to the second floor, bursting into Snapes Dark Arts class.

"I require your assistance," she said, interrupting his lecture.

His eyes flashed angrily, but he turned to his present class and said, "Three rolls on grindyglows. That's all."

He swept out of the room and began following her down to the dungeon.

"What seems to be the problem?"

She refused to meet his gaze, quickly walking down the stairs. "I know you'll think I'm incompetent, but I can't seem to get a particular student of mine to behave."

"And what makes you think I could do any better?"

She stopped dead, causing him to walk into her, but she didn't back down. "Because you're his head of house. You're a better professor than me. I've assigned him to detention with me for a week. I've removed his house points. He seems to think this is a fun little game, and I don't know what else to try."

Severus pursed his lips. "I see."

She spun back around and they walked in silence back to her dungeon. Upon entering she found several people hanging in the air while Bartleby hung fish eyes in front of their faces.

"Care for a taste?" he was taunting.

"Put. Him. Down." Snape ordered, and all the students hanging came crashing down.

"Sir!" Bartleby began stuttering out sentences, but Snape swiftly cut him off.

"I was unaware this was classroom behavior," he gestured at the mess. "You will stay behind and clean this mess up, and then report directly to detention with Professor Acton until she deems fit. I don't want to hear about you again. Is that understood?"

Bartleby just nodded, and Arianna was impressed. Severus did not raise his voice once, yet the whole classroom was instantly silent when he spoke.

He nodded once to her than swept back out of the room.

"The rest of you are dismissed for the day," she sighed wearily and watched Bartelby angrily scrubbing the floors.

"No magic," she said, walking into her office and slamming the door behind her.

Having to get Snape had been humiliating, degrading, and every other thing that she could think of. She wanted him to respect her, and fancied being friends with him, and had even begun suspecting he might enjoy her company. She was sure that was all ruined now, and any respect he may have had for her was long gone.

She walked back out to the dungeon to see Bartely still scrubbing.

"Get out of here Bartelby. Don't come back until you can behave properly, I don't ever want Snape in my dungeon again."

Bartleby gave her a dirty look, but gathered his things and left quickly and without a word.

Very numbly she began gathering essays, wondering if she should even grade them at all, and how she became such a joke when a shadow darkened her already dark doorway.

"Would you like to get a drink?"

She looked up miserably at Severus and nodded. "I think I would like that very much."

The pub was emptier than before, Arianna reasoned it must be because it was a weekday, and people had jobs they had to go to. Severus had not mentioned her asking him to control her classroom, and she was grateful for it.

Sipping on her drink, she pondered over ways to keep control better.

"So, you went to Germany?"

She looked at Severus wide eyed in surprise. "Yeah. It was the first place I really got to travel on my own, I am still really fond of it."

He seemed to be struggling to form questions, but she didn't mind, and waited politely for him to continue. "That's…very interesting. Did you…were you trying to break a curse?"

"Yes. It was an old necklace, quite valuable, and the curse was very old, and very dark magic." She was afraid to ramble and lose his interest, so she sat patiently on her stool again, waiting to see what he would say next.

"I thought Germany was very beautiful, but I don't have a stomach for the food," he remarked, drinking deeply into his beer.

"It does take some getting used to, everything is heavy and thick, and really rich, you know? A whole plate of food can take a whole day to eat, but it's really delicious too, if you go to the right places."

He grimaced. "I just don't enjoy it. The beer is good, but the food is crap. I could do without it."

She laughed lightly. "Well, nothing compares to Hogwarts. I feel as though I've spent years eating cardboard, and I'm only just getting a proper meal."

He gave her a small smile. "You probably are."

"Probably."

The two headed back to the castle not much later, and Arianna was all smiles again, having forgotten her earlier tribulation. Snape remained much as he had ever been, humorless and uninterested.

"Thank you for the pity drink," she smiled as the began parting ways at the stairs.

He nodded curtly and began the descent down, and she started hoping up, happy to be happy.

"Arianna, may I ask a favor from you?" Minerva had intercepted her on her way to breakfast.

"Sure, go for it."

"Good, I knew you would more receptive. As you know the Christmas ball is approaching, and it is usually started by several members of the staff."

Arianna nodded, hoping Minerva was asking her to chaperone. She liked the idea of being able to get dressed up.

"Professor Flitwick and I are already agreed to doing it as well as Professor Snape, but that leaves him, well, it leaves him partner less."

The smile on Arianna's face froze. "You want me to…?"

"Just a first dance, to start off the evening. I assure you Severus is quite the accomplished dancer."

She nodded her head, snapping back to attention. "Of course. Yeah, no, I wasn't implying that he wasn't at all. Just, the idea of him dancing caught me off guard."

Minerva laughed. "Coordinate with Severus please, and thank you very much." She walked off and Arianna headed down to Snapes personal quarters.

The portrait was open, so she climbed in. "Severus? Severus, what color were you thinking of wearing, because I'm pretty partial to blue myself-OH!"

Severus was facing her with a dark look on his face, in nothing but a towel.

"I'm so sorry!" she blurted out, turning her back on him. "I didn't know! You're portrait was open, so I just assumed…"

"Yes, and we all know what happens when you assume," he said sarcastically, and he could hear him padding out of the room.

"Yeah," she said quietly. "You walk in on Severus Snape practically naked."

She stood there silently waiting for him to walk back out, and when he did she kept her eyes fixed firmly on the wall.

"I did not realize the site of me in a towel was so disturbing to you," he said darkly.

"What? No, it was great! I mean, no, it wasn't great it was weird! No, okay, what I'm trying to say is…" she trailed off desperately, looking at his face to see him almost amused looking.

"What did you come here for, Arianna?"

"Well…Minerva mentioned that we would be doing the opening dance, and she said coordinate with you…I was wondering what colors you would be wearing…?"

He just stared at her.

"Right. Stupid question."

She walked out feeling really embarrassed, thinking he probably thought she was a jerk.

"No, he wouldn't care if I was being mean to him. I mean, does he have feelings? I'm not so sure he does.."


	4. Drama

**_Hey, so I have all this stored on word (its 27 pages right now), and I logged in to see two very lovely reviews, and thought, hey, why not add more? They totally made me smile, so it's well worth uploading more! I hope you enjoy!_**

**_p.s. kudos for knowing the song! I love it, it makes me think of Snape and Lily as kids, random fun fact.  
_**

**_----  
_**

_..when the lives we lived are only golden plated..._

She had a couple hours before meeting Derek, so she threw her same green cloak over a pair of jeans, long sleeved blue shirt with a v neck and some brown boots, and headed down to Hogsmead for a few hours to search of a dress.

She walked into a store and began browsing.

"Anything I can help you with?" a small witch asked, a tape measure draped around her neck.

"Sure. I need a dress," Arianna smiled.

"What kind of dress?"

"A ball gown, I suppose. Something fantastic though."

The witch gave her a pointed look. "All my dresses are one of a kind, you can be sure of that. You won't find anyone else wearing the same gown you are, and they never go out of style."

"Well that sounds perfect." Arianna let the tiny witch measure her, and then stood on a platform as dress after dress was piled next to her.

"Well, go on. Put it on."

Arianna stared down at the first, a brown number. "Shouldn't I go in a changing room?"

"How will I see how it fits you if you are hidden behind a curtain?"

Feeling a little uneasy, Arianna stripped on the platform and put on the dress, wrinkling her nose when she saw the finished product in the mirror.

"No, no, absolutely not." The witch flicked her wand and the pile of dresses disappeared next to her, and a new one began.

"Try these."

Arianna must have put on fifty dresses, and was beginning to feel discouraged. "I look terrible in all of these."

The witch, flushed and sweaty, also look discouraged. "I'm sure I have one here for you. May I ask, what house were you in while at Hogwarts?"

"Ravenclaw," Arianna said, sitting down on her platform and staring at the ugly red mermaid style dress she presently had on.

The tiny witch wandered off and came back with a big white dress.  
"This was supposed to be a wedding dress, but I had an idea, if you wouldn't mind trying it on."

Arianna peeled herself out of the red one and began sliding into the white one, letting the witch button it up in the back. The dress was strapless and tight through the torso before poofing out like the most beautiful dress she had ever seen. It had silver beading going down the torso and bottom, and a blue sash went around her stomach.

"I'll have to fix the sash, and get rid of the train, but you can buy it if you like, it's quite a stunner."

Arianna nodded. "Yeah, this looks perfect."

Noting the time she realized she was probably running late for Derek. "May I pick it up tomorrow?"

The witch nodded, already measuring the dress out, absorbed in her thoughts.

Arianna slipped her clothes and shoes back on and bid the dress farewell. The walk to the pub was short, and she found Derek immediately.

"I didn't think you would come," he said slightly loudly, trying to talk over the noise in the background.

Arianna smiled and ordered a firewhiskey. "I love to have a drink with a friend," she smiled.

"Of course."

The night with Derek passed by slowly for Arianna, though she couldn't figure out why. Something about him seemed a bit off, though she couldn't place her finger on it. She had begun to notice that he had not touched his drink at all.

"Say, did you know we were both in Hogwarts together?" she said, a little tipsy from her drinks.

"Yes, I do remember. You were very quite, and very smart."

She smiled at his answer, and he smiled back, causing her smile to fade. His smile seemed hungry somehow, like some kind of predator.

"You know, I should probably be going."

"Let me walk you back to the castle at least."

She nodded silently, tying her hood around her head, and they headed off.

"As a curse breaker, did you ever do any work for the Dark Lord?" he asked casually as they began to walk.

She looked at him sharply. "No, of course not! I wasn't really affiliated during the war, though I would not have helped him."

"Why not?"

He asked in such an innocent tone, but suddenly Arianna felt like something else was going on, and fingered for her wand in her pocket, just in case.

"Because I didn't quite agree with what he was preaching, per say."

"You didn't agree with a better wizarding world?"

"No, I didn't agree with the superiority, the killing, and what not."

"You didn't think it was for the greater good?"

She stopped and looked at him, wishing she could be rid of her buzz right now, it was hard to be alert when she was feeling as though she was standing on the deck of a boat. "No, no I did not. How is killing innocent people for the greater good?"

He looked at her earnestly. "Because, once you are rid of what is polluting us, we can move up, take what is rightfully ours!"

"And what's that?" she was almost afraid to ask, but still didn't think he would harm her.

"The world. It can be restored, we can still have it."

She shook her head, backing always slowly, wand hidden under her cloak. "No we can't. He is dead, Derek. That nightmare is over…"

He whispered something, so softly she couldn't hear, and suddenly she was in rigor mortis. Wandless magic. She was so stupid, she should have stunned him!

"We can still have it. I just need to eliminate the enemies. I will restore him!"

She stared wide eyed in fear, unable to move or speak, looking at his crazy face above her, unsure of what she had to do with any of this.

He reached down where her hand was and picked her wand up off the pavement, bound her hands and feet before freeing her of the spell, picked her up, and began walking towards an ally. Arianna didn't say anything, hoping and praying he would just let her go.

He took her wand and shot up a multitude of sparks in the air over and over again, and then stunned her.

And all was black.

She woke up in a basement, untied and laying on a filthy mattress. Remembering the events before the blackness she surveyed herself. Dirty, but still clothed and cloaked, wandless though. She began looking around the dirty room, but it hard to see in the darkness. She sat up and began waiting, and the waiting was the worst part, she thought she would go insane.

What seemed like years later a door opened, and Derek walked down.

"Oh good, you're awake."

She didn't say anything, just watched as he lit several lanterns, allowing the room to be lit up. Nothing out of the ordinary in the basement, just your average dirty, smelly room.

"Would you like some water?"

She shook her head no, but he set some on the stand next to the mattress anyway.

"I know you must be afraid, but try not to be, I don't want to hurt you."

"Why?" she croaked out, her voice hoarse from the stunning spell and fear.

"You, my dear, were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. I needed accesses to members of the Order, and when Snape joined you for a drink it seemed that you would be the easiest way to get them all here.

"They won't know," she said desperately. "They won't know you've taken me, or where I have gone. They may think I have just left."

His face grew dark. "Well you should hope they don't think that, because you are going to stay here until they arrive. You are going to help me to restore the Dark Lord!"

Arianna was struggling not to cry. "Please. Please just let me go. I don't have anything to do with this. Just let me go, I won't tell anyone I swear, please…"

He shook her roughly. "Don't beg. I hate when they beg. You will actually be useful, you brew potions, right?"

Her eyes filled up with tears as she nodded.

"Good. I want veritaserum. I have provided you with the ingredients you will need, and," he flicked his wand casually and a cauldron materialized next to her, "it shouldn't take you more than two or so days to have it perfected."

"Please.." she murmured.

"Make it right, or I'll kill you," he smiled and patted her head before slamming the door behind her.

Arianna sat there in shock for several minutes, tears running down her face before she started sobbing and screaming. She couldn't help it, it was human nature, and in the face of the kind of fear she was in, her fear had overridden all other rational emotions.

After several hours, Arianna began to think clearly again. She was locked up in this crazy, homicidal maniacs basement, who was trying to kill of members of the Order. He seemed to think they would all come rescue her. She didn't even know who any of them were. Snape was apparently one of them. That was interesting to her.

She stood up off the mattress, still crying, but quietly now, and looked at the instructions to her potion. The ingredients were familiar with another brew she had learned back in Italy, Garroting Gas, which wasn't lethal, but could knock a person out, and the ingredients were very similar. It was less complicated, and not all of the ingredients would be used, but she doubted Derek would know the difference until it was too late.

Feeling determined, her shaking hands began slicing up ingredients, slowly and carefully. One wrong slice and she could end up harming herself, and that was the last thing she really wanted. She wanted to make it out of here alive, and do that meant she needed to be focused and levelheaded.

Three hours into it her potion turned a teal color, a good sign she was halfway there when she heard a deafening crash above her. It startled her so bad she nearly dropped her newt blood in too soon, which would have ruined the whole thing. She could hear loud yelling, a bang, and then silence.

Foot steps could be heard above her, moving closer, and then walking down the stairs slowly. She dropped her vial of blood, hands shaking, and stared at the door as the handle turned slowly. Scared witless, but not about to be killed or maimed by a crazy man she scooped up some of her boiling potion, ready to scald his face and make a mad dash for it.

The door opened quickly, and a strange man stood there.

"Arianna Acton?" he asked in crisp accent.

She nodded, not seeing several other wizards behind him.

"I'm with Ministry defense, you were reported missing yesterday."

She just stared at him, her potion bubbling up behind her noisily.

"Are you okay?"

She looked down at herself, a little dirty and torn. Was she okay? She felt okay, her fear was dissipating at the sound of this mans voice, and the idea that she might be able to walk away.

She nodded yes.

"We're going to take you Mungos. Are you able to answer any questions?"

She nodded again, and the man walked over to her, wrapped her up in a blanket, and helped her up the stairs. She noticed Derek was laying stunned on the floor while several wizards tied him up.

"How did you know?" she asked hoarsely.

"He sent a note to your colleague," the man started, but as they walked outside in the blindly bright sunlight, Arianna caught site of Severus, standing motionless watching her, arms crossed across his chest, and a furious expression dancing across his face.

She moved away from her rescuer to walk over to him, stopping when she was facing him, and looked up at his furiously frozen face.

"Thanks," she whispered , and then wrapped her arms around him torso tightly, letting silent tears stream down her face. Severus didn't push her away, but he didn't hug her back, he just let her hold him there, motionless, and shooing anyone away silently who tried to come and collect her.

Eventually he put his hands on her shoulders and apparated her into Mungos, were they gave her a sleeping draught to knock her out for a bit.

When Arianna woke up she was in a hospital bed, groggy, but seemingly okay. She noticed the same man who rescued her sitting in a chair next to her bed.

"Can I help you?" she asked slowly, reaching over for a goblet of water.

"I just wanted to make sure you were alright. Mr. Dankus confessed to everything, I'm afraid you won't be hearing from him again for a very long time."

Arianna nodded, feeling warmer at the thought of Derek being locked up in Azkaban.

"Where is Severus?"

The man nodded, gathering his hat. "He went back to the school earlier this morning. He sat here with you most of the night, quite an interesting man."

"How did he know?"

"Like I said, Mr. Dankus sent him a note, and Professor Snape just seemed to know who had taken you, public record has his house on file. Mr. Dankus is not the sharpest brick, as it would seem. We went down there, Snape stunned him, and we found you quite safely. May I ask you, why were you brewing a Garroting Gas potion?"

She smiled smally. "I was hoping to make a mad dash for it I guess."

He smiled and bid her goodbye, leaving Arianna to her thoughts for the day.

"You seem cheerful," an orderly mentioned, looking over her chart.

"Is it going to be possible for me to leave soon?" she asked.

"Today sound good?"

She smiled her first real smile since having been rescued.

About an hour later she was standing outside of Hogwarts gate, her cloak draped over her arm, still in the dirty kidnapping clothes. Mostly she felt tired, but it was nice to be back in Hogwarts, safe and sound.

She walked in the front door to find Severus standing there.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, surprised.

"I was planning on meeting you at the gate, but it seems you arrived sooner than I anticipated."

"That's really thoughtful of you," she commented, and he scowled darker, walking side by side with her silently down the corridor.

He stopped at the staircase they always parted at, and she looked up at him, noticing for the first time how much taller than her he seemed to be. It was comforting to her somehow.

"Thank you, again," she said.

"I'm certain you would have managed to find a way out. I merely showed up to make sure it happened."

"Of course," she turned to walk up the stairs. "Severus?"

He turned and looked up at her. "Yes, Arianna?"

"He was after you, not me, you know. Something about the Order."

Severus walked up the three steps to her and put both hands on her upper arms.

"It's not your fault, Arianna. Okay? You didn't do anything wrong."

She nodded softly, wishing he would keep his hands on her arms forever.

He turned around and walked back swiftly down the stairs, and she trudged back up the stairs to her bed, where she passed out into dreamless dreams.


	5. London

The rest of the month fell into a comfortable pattern, and Arianna stopped worrying about people kidnapping her, and before she knew it the Christmas ball was on the horizon and Arianna realized in the middle of a conversation with Severus that she had never picked up her dress.

"CRAP!" she shouted.

He arched his brow at her, ceasing his lecture to her.

"I'm sorry Severus, but I have forgotten to pick up my ball gown for tomorrow!"

"Ah. Of course you will want to pick that up."

"I should go now!"

She tied on a dark blue cloak and headed down to Hogsmead back into the dress shop, where the witch greeted her.

"I didn't think you were ever coming back."

"I'm so sorry, I just got caught up in other things," she apologized, taking the dress from the witch and handing over a satchel of money.

"Enjoy your time. I'm sure you will find it wonderful."

"Yeah, I just hope my dancing is okay."

The next day was the last day of the term, and there was a tangible excitement hanging around in the air. Arianna was just as silly as her students, cutting them all a lot of slack as far as homework was concerned, even letting Bartleby's antics go.

"See you later Professor A!" he called, heading out.

"Mmmhmm, have a good Christmas Bartleby," she called back, heading out behind him.

Severus intercepted her.

"I will meet with you on…the staircase, at six forty five," he said, looking determinately behind her.

"Sure, that's fine," she replied amicably, and walked up into her apartment to begin getting ready.

Getting ready was easy and took up all of the time before meeting Severus. She had her hair piled up on her head, and her dress fit perfectly, but her favorite was the shoes. They were the glass shoes from Albania.

"I feel like Cinderella tonight," she commented, walking out of her portrait.

Everything was lit up beautifully, and she very carefully walked down the stairs, concentrating on her feet, not wanting to break the carefully crafted shoes on her feet.

When she looked up she saw Severus looking up at her, his face unreadable. She broke out in a brilliant smile, taking in his black dress robes, accented in green.

"You look fantastic," she smiled as they began walking towards the great hall.

He nodded once and offered her his arm and they entered the great hall together.

"You look nice as well," he said low and under his breath. She smiled and continued to look forward as Minerva began addressing the students of their proper behavior, and then the music started. Arianna was unable to hold in the fit of giggles when she watched Flitwick and McGonagall begin to dance.

"That's…so…funny…" she said in between laughs.

"I suppose," he said, frowning, and then holding out his hand.

Suddenly she felt nervous. She took his hand, placing her other on his shoulder as he firmly grasped her waist. Her heart was beating hard, her face was inches from him, and they were spinning around the room. McGonagall hadn't lied, he was a fantastic dancer.

"Where did you learn to dance?" she asked, trying to distract her thoughts, but it didn't work, they kept trailing back to the heat of his hand on her waist, the way he smelled, even that day she walked in on him in a towel.

"Just, something I picked up on one day," he murmured softly, lifting her body in the air as the dance required.

"Careful," she muttered, trying to land softer on her shoes.

"Are they glass?" he asked, now unable to see them.

She met his eyes. "A gift from a gentleman in Albania. He claims his great grandfather made a pair for an ordinary girl who later went out to become queen."

"Cinderella?" his eyebrows arched.

"Proof that a pair of shoes can change your life," she smiled.

The students had begun dancing as well, and the music style had changed more to fit the kids tastes.

"I think I'm going to take a walk, if you're interested in joining," she offered as they broke away.

He nodded curtly, and they wandered out into the snow, sitting on a bench out on the grounds a bit.

"I didn't think I would love it here as much as I do," she admitted, staring out across the night.

"There's a certain…magic here few places have."

"It does," she repeated, rubbing her arms in the cold.

He offered her his jacket, which she slid on.

"Lets go back," she said, standing up in the snow.

Halfway back to the entrance she tripped, falling nearly face first in snow.

"You need to be more careful," he said, righting her.

"Oh! I've lost my shoe!" she cried, and he noticed her left foot was in the air to avoid touching the cold snow!

"I'll look for it," he said, not wanting her to be crawling around in the wet in that dress. It was an absurd thought, but he didn't want her to get sick.

"Did you find it?" she asked, wobbling on her one foot.

He stood up empty handed. "It'll probably turn up once the show melts."

She nodded, and he felt a twinge when he saw the disappointment on her face. Not saying anything else to her, he bent down, grabbed her underneath her knees, and lifted her up into his arms.

"Oh! What are you doing?!" she asked, secretly pleased.

"You can't walk through the snow barefooted," he said, frowning as her foot poked from underneath her dress.

"I'm sure frostbite isn't so bad," she smiled, pressing her face into his chest, discretely breathing in.

"I'm sure it is."

She tried not to move, and wished she could make herself weigh less, but his face betrayed nothing. When they entered the warmth of the school again he set her down, wondering if she noticed his hesitation.

"Can I come see you tomorrow?" she asked.

"If you want," he conceded.

"I do. Walk to the stairs?"

He nodded, and they walked in silence.

They passed by a mirror, and Arianna was struck by how attractive he looked next to her, how tall and broad he was, the way his dark hair hung around his face, how his face was handsome and dark…it made her sad to think that he didn't think of her nearly the same way. She was too young, or too immature, or not serious enough to captivate a man like Severus Snape, but that didn't mean she was going anywhere.

At the staircase Arianna took of her other shoe.

"I feel a bit like Cinderella now, going home with only one shoe," she said, holding up her glass shoe and looking at it disappointed.

"I'm sure Cinderella was nothing like you," Snape replied, meaning it as a compliment, though Arianna didn't take it that way.

"No, you're definitely right. I'm not anything like her."

She walked up the stairs, and he walked down, and they both surreptitiously watched the other as they went.

The next morning Arianna woke up, excited that most of her students had left for Christmas break and she had the next two weeks to herself.

She showered slowly and let her hair air dry out, put on a white dress with red hemming, brown heels, and grabbed a matching red hooded cloak, very red riding hood, and practically ran to the dungeons.

"I didn't expect you to be here to early," he sounded upset.

Her face was flushed and she knew she was overly excited.

"I know, but I was awake and thought I would just…you know…um…I can go, if you want."

"You're fine," he replied standing up. "Are you dressed up for any particular reason?"

"Dressed up? What?" she looked down, she was pretty dressed up, and she knew why. "Oh. Guess I didn't realize it would look so dressy."

He pursed his lips, but didn't say anything.

"You know…I have a lot of papers to mark…maybe I should come back…"

He nodded once, and she left the room quietly.

_What am I playing at here? I think I can just walk in and fall in love with this man, who used TO BE MY TEACHER, and everything will be just fine and dandy? I need to get over this, I need to professional, I need…I need to go back there and kiss him, kiss him hard. I doubt anyone has ever really kissed him like that, it would probably do him some good. No. NO. I'm going to go back to my office…and grade…papers. And daydream about kissing him. He'll be in that towel, and I'll be standing there, and he'll say…oh God, he wouldn't say anything, would he? He would just do it or something. I can't imagine him hesitating, that sounds amazing. Just… _

She found herself sitting in her office for the better part of the day daydreaming about Severus. Realizing this was never going to get anything productive done, she walked back into his office to find him gone.

"Perfect," she said out loud, sitting in his chair.

"Can I help you?"

"God you're like a ninja!" she said, startled. He hadn't been standing there ten seconds ago.

"You just seem to be incredibly unobservant when your mind is otherwise occupied."

She stood up. "Yeah, I am pretty distracted."

"Care to share?" he asked.

"No. Noooo, no. No…haha…no."

His eyebrows arched. "Interesting."

"So! What are you up to today?"

"Essays," he gestured at the pile of neatly stacked essays on his desk.

"Mmm. Right. That sounds…boring, um, did you want to do something else?"

He closed his eyes for a second, his irritation written all over his face. "I can't, Arianna. Not today."

She twisted a strand of hair through her finger, disappointed. "Okay. Worth a try. See you around!"

She smiled and walked out, wishing she was less bothersome, and wondering where these feelings for Severus were coming from.

_Maybe it's just the result of spending so much time with him. Except half the time he seems to not be able to stand that I am around, so that doesn't make sense. I don't think I willingly chose to like him. He's like, ten years younger than my dad. In his forties probably. Maybe forty. _

_At any rate, I need to stop trying to so hard. We were getting along just fine, no need for me to be putting on dresses and heels in December, though I haven't had a chance to wear it yet. It does look really nice, there's no way he's not a little interested in the outfit…unless he's not interested in me. No. I mean, he's probably not, but I'm going to stay positive, act normal and cheerful and basically pretend like nothing is going on. I hope I'm not being an open book. How humiliating, if he knows. He's probably laughing at me right now and-_

"Arianna?"

Arianna spun around startled, almost at the stairs when Severus caught up with her, looking calm and collected.

"Yeah?"

"I need to run some errands in London, if you are interested…"

"YES!" she shouted with more enthusiasm than she meant, and she clamped her hand over her mouth immediately after her outburst.

"Right. Try and reign it in. Let's go.." he trailed off, surveying her shoes. "Are those really…practical for snow…in London?"

She glanced down. "Not really, but no point in changing now, we're so near the door, and I have my cloak and everything.."

"It's your toes, don't complain to me if they begin to fall off."

She grinned, "Oh, I can be really quiet!"

His lips formed a white line, and for a second she thought he was holding back laughter. "I would like to see that."

They made their way outside the grounds of Hogwarts, and Arianna was regretting the heels, but determined not to say anything and prove him right. They apparted into Diagon Alley, and Arianna's whole face lit up like a Christmas tree.

"What kind of business are you taking care of?"

He nodded towards a sandwich shop, and they walked in, where he proceeded to order two turkey and salami sandwiches with mustard and pickles.

"How do you know I like any of this stuff?" she asked, holding up her sandwich to her face.

"I've seen you eat…you're not that picky as far as I can discern."

She took a massive bite. "Mmm…salami," she said, eyes closed.

He looked at her with a peculiar look on his face, closed eyes chewing a sandwich. He was partially sure the woman was crazy.

"What's next?" she asked, looking up at the dark grey sky, which happened to be dumping out snow all over her freezing legs and feet. She thought she was doing a bloody good job of hiding of cold she was to Severus.

"Inside, I think," he said, eyeing her legs discreetly. No way she wasn't half dead from cold.

"Sounds toasty!" she smiled cheerfully, and the two headed three blocks down and walked into a building. Arianna was expecting to see a shop, instead she was standing in a living room.

"Where are we?" she asked, stepping on brown carpeting.

"This is my…home…of sorts, when not at Hogwarts. I thought you needed to warm yourself a bit."

"I was just fine," she muttered, sitting on a plushy green chair.

"Of course. I forgot freezing snow feels wonderful on bare legs," he commented sarcastically.

"It…might…to me…" she responded, lamely, rubbing her hands over her legs anyway.

He walked out of the room, and she heard running water pouring into something.

"Tea?" he asked, and she nodded, standing up to look at the bookcase with books on it.

"Big reader?"

"Enough," he said, placing a tea pot on the stove.

Arianna let her fingers trail over the spines of the books, noting that he didn't seem to discriminate between muggle and wizarding authors. She had opened her mouth to comment about it, but then changed her mind, deciding to keep this small tidbit of knowledge to herself.

"Looks like we'll get snowed in," she said instead, wandering into the kitchen.

"Yes," he seemed distracted, handing her a tea cup. "Arianna?"

She looked up at him. "Yes?"

"Would you mind waiting here for a moment. I need to be somewhere quickly, it will take me minutes."

"I can go as well, if you like."

"No. That will not be necessary. Save your feet, I will be back momentarily."

She stepped back as he reached for a fistful of floo powder, and in a rush of green flames, disappeared.

"Lovely," she thought, setting her teacup on the mantle.

After thirty minutes of waiting bored, Arianna looked out at the weather and wondered if he had possibly gotten stranded.

"He said he'd back, he'll be back," she said firmly, not wanting to go out in the cold.

Six hours later Arianna gave up. It would be useless for her to go searching as the snow would probably reach her knees and apparating outside of Hogwarts would be just as snowy. She lit the house up, and walked up the stairs looking for a bedroom.

"Hm," she surveyed what had to be Snape's room with interest. It was also filled with books, and bare as per was his style. Dark velvet green curtains hung from the window which matched the bed covers.

"Good enough for me," she decided, rationalizing that if he wasn't back in the morning she would owl the ministry and send someone out looking for him.

Feeling self assured, she cautiously opened a drawer, looking for something to wear to sleep in.

"Excellent!" she smiled, pulling out a dark black shirt, and quickly got into it, folding up her dress and hanging it on the back of a chair in the room, setting her shoes in the seat of it, and climbed into his bed.

It was softer than she expected, and warm, and easy to fall asleep in, and before she knew it she was passed out asleep…

Arianna had the uncomfortable feeling she was being watched, which woke her from a dream that involved Severus and a very tropical climate. While in the dream it seemed natural, but now that she was awake she realized how out of place he would be on that particular beach.

She was sprawled across the bed, covers twisted around her legs and face mashed in the pillow. She turned her head over and saw Severus staring at her with an unfathomable look on his face.

"What time is it?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Three in the morning," he said crisply, keeping his eyes locked on her face.

"Ugh.." she moaned, rolling back over and tucking her legs, which had been exposed from under the sheets, back in the covers. "I'm not getting up. And where were you, you said you'd be back in minutes!"

"I was held up."

She scooted over, now half asleep and patted the bed half heartedly. "Come lay down, 'ts really soft and stuff."

"I am not-"

"Just lay down and blow out the candle please," she snapped grumpily, wanting to go back to her dream. She had just been getting to the good part.

Arianna was already back on the beach with Severus when he climbed in, awkwardly, and blew out the candle…

She woke up the second time almost boiling warm and irritated with her dream. None of it made sense, one minute she's standing in a field talking to a bunny she could have sworn was her father and the next she's cooking up a plate of spaghetti.

"Wonder what is means," she murmured sleepily, moving her hand only to realize she was laying on something moving.

Cautiously opening her eyes she saw she had her head on Severus's shoulder and hand on his chest. His eyes were closed and his breathing steady, which meant he was asleep.

Or so she thought.

"Are you watching me?" he asked quietly, and she jumped a little.

"I just woke up!" she stammered, climbing out of bed and bunching her hands into her hair nervously.

He closed his eyes and groaned, and she remembered what she was wearing.

"Oh. Right. I borrowed a shirt…um…hope you don't mind."

He opened his eyes slowly, and she noticed they were bloodshot.

"Hey, what happened to you last night?"

He pushed the blankets off and she saw he was wearing what he had been wearing the day before.

"There was…a confrontation."

"Oh. Okay." She shifted her weight uncomfortably from her right foot to the left, wondering how mad he was at her on a scale of one to one million for putting on his clothing.

"Back to the castle," he stated, sweeping out of the room.

She walked over to the bed and put her head in her hands, groaning softly to herself.

_I just fucked that up now, didn't I? He looked mad. I guess I would be mad too…god…fucking…kill me._

She put her dress back on, and shoes, and made his bed, folding his shirt neatly on the bed, and walked down the stairs where he was waiting with the door open. With a quick pop! he had disappeared, and she glumly followed suit.

When she appeared outside the gates he was ten feet in front of her. She wasn't in any hurry to catch up, and slowly made her way back into her room.


	6. Wardrobe

The next day was Christmas, and Arianna was in a good mood despite the previous days events.

She had multiple packages from her parents, a letter from her brother, an assortment of chocolate from her best friend Cynthia, and a book from Severus.

The book excited her more than anything else, titled, "Curses Throughout The Ages," and a quick flip through showed famous curses and their counter curses, and even some with examples of wizards and witches who had defeated/placed/discovered them.

She smiled, glad she had thought of getting him a gift, also a book.

Deciding that he must have forgiven her she threw on a pair of blue jeans that had a hole in the knee and an electric pink t-shirt on, and headed down to the dungeon to thank him

"HEY!" she burst into from behind his portrait. "MERRY CHRISTMAS!"

He was at least dressed this time, much to her disappointment.

"I see you never learned to knock," he looked up at her over the book she had gotten him.

"Mmm, it's more fun this way. A bit like Russian roulette."

His jaw clenched. "Are you trying to catch me…indecent?"

She shook her head no and continued to grin. "I came down here to thank you for the gift, it looks awesome, can't wait to read it!"

He looked at her bored.

"I also wanted to let you know that I was going to be away for a bit."

This caused a flicker of emotion to run through his eyes though she couldn't quite tell what it was.  
"Why is that?"

"Curse breaking, of course. Can't resist it's siren call, and besides, it seems to be a quick one, and I'm a bit low on Galleons."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "What kind of curse?"

She shrugged. "I'm not sure how it matters, at any rate. A curse is a curse."

He set his book in his lap, looking slightly troubled. "That is not true at all Arianna. Some curses can kill you from the inside out, and others can change the color of your skin! It is a dangerous game you play, and you are foolish not to take it seriously."

His anger sparked that long feeling of inadequacy she felt around him since she had first been his student.

"I take my job very seriously," she murmured quietly, suddenly feeling awkward in his study.

"It does not seem that way. Joking around, brushing it off, you should take it all very seriously!"

Besides feeling incredibly stupid, incompetent, and inadequate, she also felt slightly angry at his little tirade. He didn't know shit about her, now, did he.

"That's all very funny coming from you Severus!" she blurted out.

"And why is that?' he asked, clenching up his jaw.

"You want me to take curse breaking seriously? You want me to be all grim faced and cynical about something I am quite aware can kill me? Trust me, I know, I have stared down many objects that have literally tried to kill me, and if I took that attitude about it I would probably never venture to uncurse anything ever again! Why, I would probably whole myself up in a dungeon and be miserable and attempt to make those around me miserable as well!"

She instantly regretted saying it, but there was no spell to take back her words.

He picked his book back up, but still looked her full and hard in the face. "I am so glad that I am such an open book to you. Presently, you may do as you wish, and have whatever attitude you feel is appropriate for whatever little excursions you wish to undertake. I, however, an uninterested in the whining of a little girl who is presumptuous enough to assume she knows just exactly what I am doing with my life."

"Severus…I didn't mean…" she trailed off, flinching under his scorching gaze.

"I believe you did. Otherwise you would not have said it. Enjoy your holiday."

He flipped the book back open, and Arianna, feeling like that awkward, seventeen year old girl, stumbled back out of his room in embarrassment and shame.

Arianna arrived in Italy the next morning excited to be bustling about doing something she enjoyed again. She had reached Rome later than she anticipated, but she was nearly always late anyway.

_Not like those curses are going anywhere, anyway,_ she thought dryly to herself.

Mostly she was trying to forget Severus and his complete indifference to her.

Shaking away thoughts of his surly face and his body wrapped up in a towel she climbed up four steps and knocked briskly on an old door.

The green paint was chipping away, and seemed to be on it's last hinge when it opened slowly and a young woman came out.

"Arianna Acton?" she asked, and the voice caused the hair to raise on the back of Arianna's neck, though she didn't have a clue why.

"Yes, and you must be…"

"Geraldine Gardner," she smiled a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, giving it a sinister edge.

"Right. Pleasant to meet you. I was told you had a cursed wardrobe? Quite unusual, but not unheard of."

"Yes," she said, standing aside and allowing Arianna into her home. The inside was dark and drab, and she was reminded slightly of the home Severus kept outside of Hogwarts, though his was cleaner and kept up with better than Geraldine's seemed to be.

"May I have a look at it?" Arianna asked, wanting to be done with this quickly.

"Certainly, it is in the basement. This home has been in my family for generations, and the wardrobe has always brought about a sense of pride." Geraldine did not take Arianna down into the basement, however, instead fixing her dark brown gaze on Arianna's face.

"Why have it fixed now, then? Wouldn't it upset your family?"

Geraldine looked at Arianna, and it seemed to her that she almost was looking at her with pity.

"Arianna, may I ask you a question?"

"Certainly," agreed Arianna, edging closer to the front door.

"Have you ever loved someone?"

The question caught her off guard, she was not expecting it.

She also didn't expect a stunning curse to hit her, knocking her on the floor, or a full body bind curse either.

"I have," continued Geraldine, gently picking up Arianna's wand, which lay carelessly at her fingertips. "Just once, with a man I think you met. Derek? We met in school. He was completely out of my league, you see, but I was desperate for him to love me." She twirled Arianna's wand in between her fingers, gazing down at Arianna's rigid body.

"He finally began to notice me, and talk to me after we graduated. He was sympathetic to the Dark Lords cause, joining in the ranks, and I supported him although I did not necessarily agree. However I was in love, and love tends to blind people.

"Of course, the Dark Lord fell, we can all thank Harry Potter for that, and Derek went a little…nutty. I tried to help him through it, but he joined some radical members who had managed to escape Azkaban, and they seemed determined to punish members of the Order of the Phoenix. Derek was particularly interested in the death of Severus Snape. He became obsessed with Snape's death."

Geraldine tossed Arianna's wand onto a small table off to the side and peered down at Arianna, who was still unable to move. "Of course, few know of Severus' involvement in the downfall of the Dark Lord. I knew only because Derek recounted the story to me, how he helped Harry while serving as a double agent to the Dark Lord, even surviving that snake bite. Rumor has it that Harry Potter named one of his sons after Snape, though I can't confirm it.

"Derek seemed sure that kidnapping you would bring Snape to his door. I begged with him to let it go, to leave it alone, but he could not. I know it's not your fault, you just happened to be the wrong girl at the wrong time, but you must understand me."

Geraldine's eyes held a kind of deep pain that scared Arianna. "I love this man, love him in a way most could never fathom, and because of you he is locked away in Azkaban. He believes I never truly loved him because I could never really support him, but I did. And I am now. Only…Severus will not come for you, will he? He sent others after you the first time, even when Derek's letter was addressed only to him. If I send for him, will he come?"

She looked at Arianna, who could not respond, could not move, and could only stare in horror at the stupid trap she had walked into.

"No. No, I don't think he will, and if he did, could I defeat a wizard who so easily fooled the Dark Lord? My magical skill are not so great. I would, though, enjoy evening the score. You see, I've been watching you for the last month and a half, and I see how you look at him. You must love Severus, the way I love Derek. Perhaps he loves you as well."

She broke off, staring into space for several moments.

"For as long as Derek is imprisoned, I shall keep you as well. In my wardrobe I think. It keeps you in a sort of limbo, your own personal hell. I've never seen anyone in it, but my mother used to tell me stories."

Levitating Arianna's body, she floated her into the basement and magically opened the wardrobe, which looked innocent enough. Geraldine set Arianna in it and then removed the body bind curse before slamming the door behind her.

Arianna heard her voice faint behind the doors. "I'm sorry…"

Arianna then began screaming.

The pain was unimaginable, fire and needles, hammers and nails in her body all at once, skin slowly being peeled away, finger nails being pulled off one by one, and nothing touched her. If her eyes flew open in pain she found herself staring at the wooden inside of a wardrobe.

After many hours of pain it began to dull, and the darkness set in, and she was sure she was going mad.

When she had finally rid herself of all pain it started up again, and she begged and screamed all to no avail, only to repeat the cycle over and over again…

Years may have passed, Arianna stopped trying to figure out how long she had been there, or if anyone had noticed she was gone. Severus had been right, she was too careless, not serious enough, and now for the second time this year she was being held captive. In the beginning she had told herself that someone would come, she would be let out, but now she was unable to be optimistic. She knew she would die in here writhing in pain from dehydration. Maybe it would take them years to track down her body. Maybe they never would, and they would chalk it up to a curse gone wrong.

The pain had faded momentarily, and Arianna was taking a moment to examine her surroundings and she lay in the fetal position. She knew it was pointless to try and break free, every time she moved or touched the wood the pain began up instantly again. She was living for the moments without the pain now, willing someone to find her, to let her out.

And then the pain started again all over and she succumbed to the blackness, letting her brain escape the torture for the moment, peaceful in sleep.

Yet more time had gone by. She could no longer keep her eyes open, and she knew she was close, having already given up her desire to live. What was the point of holding on, only to feel the excruciating pain of the wardrobe. She could not know that she had been in there for three long days, four dark nights. All she knew was the blackness.

In the middle of her screaming she thought she heard a faint thud against the wardrobe doors. Unable to focus, her back arched up and she let out another scream of intense pain at the exact moment the doors flew open, instantly stopping the torture.

She felt herself being lifted out, her body limp in her rescuers arms, and she was sure she was being taken somewhere to die.

"Arianna? Arianna, are you alright? Can you speak?" the voice sounded like an angel, and yet she still lay there, letting cool air touch her skin.

"She appears to be badly damaged," came another voice, brushing stray hairs off her face.

"She needs to be in intensive care immediately. Who knows what was happening to her in there," a third voice. Was it female? She couldn't tell.

She felt a slight woosh, and then she was being set down.

"Honey can you hear me? Honey, its momma, baby…" the words weren't registering in her brain.

"How did you know? How did you know where she was?"

The angel spoke. "She spoke of curse breaking. I merely asked to whom had requested her, and it was simple guess work from there."

"My baby…you saved her life." Was the voice crying?

"We owe you her life. I can't imagine…not having my sister."

"I simply did for her what she in turn would do for me. If you'll excuse me.."

Arianna slipped in blackness then, and knew no more.


	7. Thanks

You guys are lovely. Have I mentioned I love you?

---

The light was bright on her face, and she squinted her eyes open only to clamp them shut again at the illuminating white coming from the room. It took her several more tries before her eyes finally adjusted and it registered with her that she was in the hospital.

"Arianna? Are you awake?"

She turned her head to see her mother sitting next to her bed, her brother and father a little further off in the room sitting across from her mother, engaged in what looked to be a chess match. Presently they were both looking up at here.

"Mom?" she croaked out, her voice hoarse from lack of use.

Her mom instantly burst into tears. "Baby…I was so scared…"

"Now, Meredith…" her father was instantly at her mothers side attempting to comfort her. "Arianna is fine darling, see. She's okay."

"We were really worried," her brother also came over and sat on her bed at the edge, looking down at the sheets.

"How…how did you find me?" she asked, looking at her family.

"Severus…" her mother did not seem to be able to continue speaking as the sobs consumed her.

"Professor Snape had been looking for you for a while," Anthony, her brother, told her. "He wanted to know if we had heard from you, he said it was unusual for you not to turn up. He said you had been gone for several days with no word. He thought maybe we had heard from you."

"But we hadn't!" her mom wailed, burying her face in her dads chest. Anthony handed Arianna a glass of water that she began to sip down slowly.

"Dad and I met up with him at Hogwarts to discuss where you might have gone. We thought maybe you were at Cynthia's, but she said she hadn't heard from you in a couple months, and last you'd said was that you were teaching potions at Hogwarts."

Arianna nodded, feeling guilty that she had been neglecting Cynthia.

"She was here earlier, but had to leave, told us to have you owl her when you wake up."

"How did you know, though?" Arianna persisted, her voice stronger as her throat became better lubricated.

"Right. Um, so, Snape and I went down to Gringotts to see if they knew who had requested your assistance, planning on visiting them next to see when you had left. They told us that you were sent to Italy to assist a woman named Geraldine Gardner with a cursed wardrobe, and I guess it all clicked together for Snape. Geraldine was several years younger than me, I think a year younger than you, even, but memorable to Snape. I had to search my memory to recall anything about her, all I remember was that she was in Slytherin, but never seemed to belong."

She smiled weakly at her brother, who had been in Hufflepuff himself, and would not have thought badly of anyone.

"We met up with dad and apparated off, and while dad and I restrained Gardner Snape went downstairs to get you. We couldn't hear you screaming until he opened the door, she must have had a spell…it was bloody awful Ari, I don't think I'll ever forget it…Snape came upstairs with you in his arms, and we thought…"

He trailed off, but she knew exactly what they must have thought.

"I wasn't dead," she whispered, and her mothers sobbing became hysterical again.

"No, but close I think. You were so pale and limp…it was terrible. We got you here, and they got you hydrated again, and mended up, but we weren't sure what kind of damage was done."

"Where is Severus?" she had been dying to know since Anthony told her he had been the one to rescue her.

"Today is Geraldine's hearing, I believe he went to make sure it went off without a hitch," her dad interjected. "He'll be wanting to know that you are okay though."

"Oh Martin," her mom hiccupped, and Arianna sat up and hugged her hard.

"I'm sorry mom."

"I thought you were done with curse breaking! You took the Hogwarts job, we all thought…Arianna, I know…I did it too, it's too dangerous! Look at you, in the hospital, you could have died!"

"I'm sorry mom," she repeated. She didn't know what else to say.

"What is important is that you are okay," her dad said firmly. "We are still a family, we have each other, that is what is important."

Arianna smiled at her dad, looking from him to her weepy eyed mom, to her brother sitting at her feet, and felt incredibly grateful for them.

Several days later Arianna was being released. "Don't strain yourself," the witch was advising as Arianna signed the papers.

"I wouldn't dream of it," she smiled, signing her name one last time with a flourish.

"I'm not sure you can manage that," came a voice from the doorway, and Arianna couldn't turn around fast enough.

"I could try," she grinned so big she didn't think could fit it all.

His eyes twinkled a bit at her, but his face remained the same as ever.

"I'm here to collect you."

"Please, collect me all you want."

He scowled a bit at that, and she walked over to him, into the hallway.

"Thank you," she said, looking up at him.

He nodded curtly once, gripped her arm, and apparated outside of Hogwarts grounds.

"Arianna. Please, can you wait a second?" he asked as she began to walk towards the gates.

She nodded, looking down at her feet.

"You were completely irresponsible, and careless, and reckless…" he trailed off, apparently searching for other possible synonyms for her.

"Right," she said sarcastically. "Because I should have been prepared for a crazy girlfriend to lock me up as retribution. Clearly this is a normal reaction and I must be lacking in the brain for not thinking of it."

"We had just spoken…I thought surely you would take them to heart," he snapped.

"Yeah, because people lock me up in cursed wardrobes monthly! In fact, it's an off month if I'm not being tortured. And what's this I hear about you being the right hand of the Dark Lord? Interesting turn of events! People kidnapping me to kill you, or make their lovers happy…"she trailed off, suddenly scared at the look on his face.

"Whatever you have been told, you are sadly misinformed."

"Well then perhaps you should set the record straight," she commented, keeping the sarcastic tone, but regretting it all the same. It was hard to be emotionally honest with him when he was always so cutting.

"I do not need to give you a biography," he said smoothly.

"Right. So then, why even bother coming after me, if you don't owe me any explanations, and I'm just some prattling little girl who follows you around?" she challenged.

He raised his eyebrows so far up they were lost in his hair.

"I mean, I think I deserve to know why Derek was holding me hostage in the first place, but I never asked because I thought, hm, gee, maybe he'll think it is worth telling me since apparently Derek thought my life meant enough to you to save."

"Your life is worth a lot, Arianna, don't be so dramatic."

She put her hands on her hips, giving him a challenging looking. "I don't think I'm being dramatic at all. I thought I was going to die in that bloody cupboard, and then there you were like a bleeding angel or something, and I don't want to fight with you out here in the snow!" she yelled. "I just…I just want to thank you properly, and then try and put this all behind me."

"That's an understandable desire," he said, his eyes and voice impassive.

"Why did you come after me?" she asked in a small voice.

"Because I do not enjoy when you are not around," he said in clipped tones.

"Oh. Right."

They stood there awkwardly for a minute.

"So. Shall we, er, head inside?"

He gave her a nod, and they walked in silence.

The silence continued until they reached the stairs. She was about to part ways when he stopped her.

"Arianna."

She looked at him, and his eyes were blazing with something she didn't understand.

"Yes, Severus?" she said quietly, afraid she may have upset him again.

He didn't speak, but did not break eye contact with her as he pulled her glass shoe out of his robes and handed it to her.

She looked at it, small and delicate in her hands, and then back up at him again and flung her arms impulsively around his neck.

"Thank you. For everything," she said with a quiet passion she didn't know existed within her.

"Always," he murmured back, and they stepped apart.


	8. Discretion

They parted ways and Arianna trudged into her room, set the shoe on her dresser and sat on the edge of her bed looking at it.

It seemed a lifetime ago she had been dancing with him and had lost the shoe, she had forgotten about it, but he had not. He had found her twice. He rescued her shoe. It seemed obvious that she should love him, although it was hard to bring those feelings to the surface in light of recent events.

However, sitting up in her room was the exact opposite of where she thought she should be. She tried distracting herself, changing into some grey shorts and electric blue t-shirt and climbing into bed, but that didn't work, so she said fuck it and practically ran out of her room, down the hall, completely barefoot, making her way down the stairs as quickly as she dared, and into the freezing dungeon.

His portrait was closed and she stood in front of it, trying to guess the password.

"Oh fuck. Um, snakes? Slytherin? Potions? Levicorpus? Snape? Severus? Candyland?" The portrait refused to yield, but she was determined to keep trying. "Um…kittens. Dark Arts. Cinderella? Shoes?"

She wracked her brain hard, and came up with something brilliant. "Chocolate." It was just a guess, but the portrait swung open much to her delight, and she clambered in to see Severus standing there facing her in surprise.

"How did you get in?"

She completely ignored him, walked determinedly up to him, pulled him as close as was physically possible against her and kissed him. She had been imagining what it would be like, and he didn't seem like a man who hesitated, so she wanted to do the same, with a kind of confidence she was completely faking.

Kissing him for the first three seconds was much like kissing a fleshy wall. He didn't move or react at all, but she refused to move, putting one hand on the back of his neck, the other on his chest, and keeping her eyes closed, afraid that if she opened them she would not like what she saw.

After the three seconds of shock he responded in a way she hadn't expected at all. He gripped her hard by the waist, pulling her harder against him, his other hand in her hair, and he was kissing her with so much enthusiasm it was making her head spin. She had totally been right, no hesitation, no deliberation, just decisive action.

He began walking towards her while kissing her, pushing her backwards until she fell back over and arm of the sofa, breaking away from him with a soft gasp. She looked up at him to see his eyes burning as he placed his arms on either side of her on the sofa and began kissing her again, fervently, passionately, intensely. She thought she might die from the enjoyment of it all, kissing her old school teacher on the couch like that, running her fingers through his hair, down his the back over his clothing and back into his hair again, her legs dangling over the arm he had pushed her over.

At some point during the night, she couldn't be sure when, he shifted so she was on top of him. Not long after, and she couldn't remember when, she drifted off to sleep, feeling safe with his arm draped around her.

Arianna woke up feeling warm, albeit a bit stiff. She opened her eyes to find herself tangled up in bed sheets completely alone. A bit annoyed she rolled over to see if he left a note. Nope. Typical Snape behavior, at any rate, it was comforting to know some things never change.

Sighing to herself she dragged herself out of his bed, unsure if last night actually existed, or if she had just dreamed it up.

"Maybe I slept walked into his bed because of the desire I felt for him in the dream…" she said groggily to herself, crunching up her hair in her hands as she walked out into the front room.

"I highly doubt you could gain entrance to my private quarters in your sleep," drawled Severus from a chair setting a book in his lap. He looked privately amused, and she wondered if there was something she was missing.

"Chocolate? Clever," she challenged, walking over to him in the chair and sitting on the arm.

He stiffened slightly.

"Did…did I make a mistake last night?" she asked quietly, looking down at the carpet.

He set his book down on the floor and readjusted her so she was on his lap, which she thought must look rather silly, and wrapped an arm loosely around her.

"I'm sure you did, but I am not about to dispute it."

She smiled happily to herself.

"Tomorrow is the beginning of the new term," he said into her hair, causing her to close her eyes in pleasure at the sound of his voice so close to her skin.

"Mmm," she was trying to pay attention.

"Arianna, if you would like for…this to continue, you will have to use the utmost discretion. "

"And why is that?" she practically whispered.

"Because I am a professional, and it would not do for my…personal…antics to be displayed about the school."

"You want to keep it a secret?" she asked.

"I want to keep it between you and I, not between you, I, and every student in the school."

"Okay, alright. I'll try not to damage your pristine reputation," she smiled, opening her eyes and twisting her neck around to look up at him.

His eyes and face were serious. "I can show discretion you know."

He just looked at her, showing his disbelief.

"I can. You just watch. I didn't get this position because of my good looks, you know."

He smiled a small smile. "You got in _this_ position precisely for that reason," indicating the position she sat in right now.

"Oh please Severus. If all you were interested in was a pretty face I'm sure you could have found someone much better qualified years ago."

He screwed up his face in mock thought. "Why, I believe you are completely correct. I must enjoy the inevitable drama and mayhem that comes with being around you."

She smiled, pleased he was letting down his guard momentarily to play along with her. "It's good to keep you around, just in case another person decides to lock me in their cellar."

His face got serious again. "That is not funny Arianna."

"If I can't make a joke out of it I will be hysterical for the rest of my life," she told him, looking him hard in the face.

He didn't respond, merely looking back, that unreadable look back in his eyes. He put his hands on either side of her face and began kissing her again, and she found that she could not complain.


	9. Doubts

The next day came far too soon for Arianna, who had not left Snape's personal quarters. Most of her day had been spent kissing him in various places around his apartment, and she was content to repeat the pattern today.

She heard him get out of bed which meant it was time for her to leave as well.

"I'll travel via floo, so no student sees me doing the walk of shame then?" she cocked an eyebrow in his direction.

"Most wise," he agreed as he robed.

"Well then…I'll see you sometime this week then?"

He nodded curtly at her, and she stepped into the fireplace and vanished for a bit.

Arianna barely had a moment to day dream about her previous day with Severus as her students came back refreshed and well rested. Her seventh period of the day was the one she dreaded the most, and her least liked student Bartleby did not disappoint with his antics.

"Maybe you should get Professor Snape," he taunted when he saw her standing up to walk over to him.

She glared. " I have a better idea Jason." She flicked her wand and he was instantly upside down in the air. "How about I do to you what you have been doing to me and your classmates all year? How does that sound?"

"You can't do this! It's practically torture!" his face was turning red.

"Mmm, I must agree that you are right. Perhaps you'll consider stopping now? Or shall we do this everyday until the end of the term, where I will proceed to fail you?"

He muttered something unintelligible.

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

"I said I'll stop."

She flicked her wand again and he was back in his desk looking slightly humiliated. She had a feeling Severus would be speaking to her about this later, and she couldn't say the idea upset her.

When her class ended she gathered up a list of ingredients for potions she was running low on and locked up the dungeon.

"You seem to have upset young Bartleby," a voice behind her made her jump clean out of her skin.

"Damnit Severus, can't you make more noise when you walk?" she asked irritated that she was already having this conversation with him. She had been hoping on something a little more private later tonight.

"I must advise hanging him upside down, it would be unwise to upset his parent."

"Why should I care if I upset his parents or not? He should not get a free ride simply because everyone is too scared to tell him to shut his mouth."

Severus clenched his jaw. "You are so willing to right the wrongs of the world?"

She put her hands on her hips, frowning. "I am not going to let him destroy my classroom just because he is an immature frog! If his parents have a complaint they can take it up with Headmistress McGonagall, or you. You're next in line, aren't you? And you're his head of house. I am twenty seven, and no longer afraid of seventeen year old boys!"

A muscle was jumping in Snapes jaw, but it seemed he was going to drop the subject for now.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm running low on supplies, just doing a quick run for more," she said nonplussed.

"When you return.." he trailed off, clearly not comfortable with what they had going on.

"Naturally, I have been thinking about it all day. Anyway I'm off."

"Arianna."  
"Yes?"

"Try and keep yourself safe."

She smiled at him, understanding his concern but inability to express them in anyway other than tight lipped words.

"Of course, Severus. How else will I be able to see you later?"

He nodded and swept off, and she headed in the opposite direction.

Diagon Alley was cold and wet, but this time Arianna was dressed better, in a black cloak and boots, so trudging through the cold and wet was easier, though less pleasant.

She walked into the store and began gathering up ingredients only she could have a use for as a teacher.

"Making something special?" asked the clerk when she brought them up for payment.

"No, just running low."  
"You must be the new potions master." It wasn't a question.

"Yeah, took the Potions post."

The man smiled at her, his teeth yellowing a bit. "Heard 'bout them Death Eaters bein' released from Azkaban?" he leered as he began placing her items in paper to be wrapped.

"Yeah, I read it in the Prophets. Let quite a bit of minor eaters out." She wondered where he was going with this.

"Gonna be two galleons and a sickle."

She paid him and then walked back out on the rainy road and apparated back outside Hogwarts.

She walked in briskly, happy to be out of the cold and down into her classroom to store her freshly bought products, placing them in their correct places or jars and then headed to Snape's personal quarters.

"Chocolate," she said and his portrait swung open. She didn't see him immediately, so she began to explore a bit. She didn't remember going to his bedroom last night which meant he must of put her there. His room was bare like the apartments, green hangings, green bedcovers, books on shelves, a desk, and a door that led to the bathroom. She didn't hear water running, so she opened the door.

"Oh…hi…" she clapped her hands over his eyes. He was standing there wet and naked, clearly having just got out the bath. "I…I seem to have a sixth sense of walking in on you…"

She wanted to look longer, but she didn't think he would be okay of that.

"Does the idea of me being naked disgust you?" he sounded amused in an ironic sort of way.

"It's the exact opposite. I'm trying not to be…perverted."

There was no sound coming from him, so she spoke again. "I'm going to count to three and then I am opening my eyes again. Make yourself decent or be prepared for me to take mental images of your naked body. One…Two….Three."

Her eyes peaked open and she breathed a sigh of relief. "It's a bit creepy how quick you dress," she said as he sat, fully dressed, in a recliner.

"Yes, I imagine to you it would seem a bit quick, but honestly you count rather slow."

She thought it over. "Well…maybe. I'm trying to be a gentleman."

He raised an eyebrow in her direction. "I should say that you are failing in that endeavor."

Arianna snorted to herself. "That's what you think."

"Pardon me?"

"Nothing," she grinned quickly, sitting at his feet and leaning her head against his knees. "So, while I was in Diagon Alley, the shop keeper was speaking about several Death Eaters who have been released…"

She trailed off, looking into the fire. Severus was silent for many moments, so long that Arianna began to let her mind wander.

"Yes, that is correct," he said finally, making her start.

"Why?" she looked up at him, her face still pressed against his leg.

"I'm not sure," he frowned. "I know there has been recent over crowding in Azkaban, but I think mostly they are hoping since the Dark Lord has been vanquished that the Death Eaters whom have been released specifically will just mesh back into wizarding society."

Arianna frowned. "Do you think so?"

Severus' dark eyes bore down at her and she was afraid for a tiny second. "No, Arianna, I do not think that. These are intense people; they will stop when they die."

Arianna shivered a bit and noticed Severus tug one of his sleeves up further in a quick, fluid motion, but she didn't say anything. Her eyes flickered back to his face and then down to the floor.

"Were you one?" she asked quietly.

"No," he sighed, and she let it go.

The end of the night came too quickly for Arianna's taste, but she left quietly, saying a soft goodbye before heading back to the fourth floor. She walked slowly, lost in her own slow moving thoughts.

Everything she had ever heard about Snape pointed to the fact that he had been a Death Eater. She knew Harry Potter had spoken for him in front of the Wizengamot, which meant, at least for the ending war, Severus had not been a Death Eater. Arianna had not been in the UK for the war, having taken refuge in Austria, working for the local government while Voldermort rose to power again. While her mother had been a wizard, her mother was also muggle born, and her dad was pure muggle, and Arianna had felt it would be best not to be parading around Gringott's during that time period. She wasn't particularly proud of leaving, but at the time her options were limited and she wasn't good to anyone dead.

However, rumors reached Austria, of Severus killing Dumbledore and then Derek talking of Severus being the right hand of the dark lord…Arianna shook her head slowly, letting her hair fall into her hair a bit.

Harry Potter himself spoke for Snape's innocence, claiming he had been working in behalf of Dumbledore and the Order. If Harry Potter said that, Arianna was going to believe it. Everything she had seen of Severus had been good, she would be foolish to let a small rumor from the past shake her confidence in him.

"Alright there, Arianna?" Arianna turned to see Professor Watertrunk, the new transfiguration teacher, smiling kindly at her.

"Yeah, just headed up," she motioned, smiling back.

"Have a good night," he called cheerily, and she trudged to her room even slower, and upon hitting the bed, fell fast asleep.


	10. Birthday

This is short but sweet. Anyone who likes Alan Rickman (oh, seriously, who DOESNT?!) needs to watch Sense and Sensibilty. Seriously, I was swooning practically the entire time. Every time he said Marianne I about died, my name is Marybeth. Close enough, right?!

Anyway, enjoy, you guys are the best! I love that you guys review but I will update whether you do or not! 333!!!

p.s. fun, but random fact! Every time I type Snape into word it wants to replace it with Staples, which cracks me up.

-----

"Guess what today is?!" Arianna burst into Snapes office the moment classes were over.

"Your birthday?" he smirked, well aware of what the day was. He was disappointed to see her smile falter.

"How did you know?" she asked, trying to keep her cheeriness alive.

He cocked an eyebrow at her but did not respond. Instead he reached inside his robes and pulled out a small box wrapped in green paper. He watched, secretly pleased, as her smile softened.

"Did you wrap it yourself?" she took the package from his hands gently.

"Who else would?" he asked trying to keep the sarcasm from his voice.

"I don't know…just…doesn't seem like you, I suppose."

His dark eyes bore into her face. "Are you going to unwrap it?"

She smiled brightly again, making him warm on the inside though his face conveyed none of this. "Of course!"

Gingerly she pulled the paper off slowly and took the lid to reveal an very old, very beautiful looking silver comb with green jewels on the handle.

"Severus…"she breathed, picking it up gently.

"I thought…I thought it would like nice…you're hair is so red…would set it off," he mumbled, clearly uncomfortable with the level of affection in her voice.

"It's beautiful!" she exclaimed, lifting up her hair and placing the comb into a twisted up bun. Part of it fell out instantly making her smile.

"Well, I'll have to practice with it, but it's so…beautiful. Where did you find it?"

He shifted uncomfortably. "Nowhere really…just saw it. Made me think of you."

Arianna smiled happily as she placed the comb back into the box, set it on his desk, and then flung her arms around him. "You're the best!"

He put his arms around her hesitantly. "I wouldn't go that far," he mumbled into her now messy hair.

"I would," she smiled into his, breathing in.

"What did you imagine, when you came down here?"

She pulled away but kept her arms loosely around him. He dropped his completely. "I imagined you had no idea and that I would drag you around London boring you half to death with my old lady self."

He snorted. "You are hardly old, Arianna. Why, until you find yourself in a situation with a former student you may not refer to yourself as old."

Arianna frowned a bit. "Are you regretting your situation? I thought I was preferable as a student."

"You did not talk much making you much more preferable than most of the students I had," he admitted. She grinned.

"Severus! Why thank you, that's such a wonderful compliment!"

He scowled darkly. "My influence is not doing you any good."

She wrapped her arms around him tightly again. "I disagree, I think your influence does me a world of good. I'm alive, for one, and that is probably my favorite part of your influence."

"I'm sure you could have managed a way out of both of your near deaths," he said, pressing his forehead against hers lightly.

"Nope," she grinned. "Well, okay, maybe the first one. I was on my way to achieving it, so I guess you stole my glory there, but not in that wardrobe. Definitely not, I had given up all will to survive."

He frowned, pulling his face back. "Never do that. Promise me now."

"I promise," she complied automatically, and his face relaxed again.

"I simply adore you," she smiled, kissing him softly, and he didn't respond out loud, just the way Arianna preferred.

"So, I'm leaving town for a bit," Severus mentioned earlier, the two of them sitting closely on the sofa.

"Why?" she asked, furrowing her brow.

"Nothing particular, just doing a….friend….a favor." The way he said friend made her think he was not fond of this particular friend.

"Does this friend have a name?" she asked, looking down at her toes.

"No. It will not take me long, I do not wish to be gone long," his brow was also crinkled. Arianna was concerned he did not want to tell her who he was helping, but also knew that Severus, after many years alone, preferred to keep his secrets. She wouldn't push him but instead allow him to tell her his business on his time, when he was ready, and pray in the meantime he wasn't meeting with released Death Eaters.

"When are you leaving?" she asked instead, pushing that last thought out of her head.

"Tomorrow," he admitted, looking down at her. She scowled up at him, a first.

"And when will you be back?"

"Thursday," he said pleased when he relaxed.

"Two days. You'll be gone two days. That seems perfectly fine," she relaxed against him, knowing that he would be out of any mischief she could imagine.

"Yes, I thought you might think so."

She put her head on his shoulder. "I shall miss you."

He hesitated, pausing a beat, and then put his head on top of hers. "I shall miss you as well."


	11. Disco Sticks

So, it's awesome to wake up to eleven e-mails from you guys going on about how you love the story and how it's funny and what not. Makes going to work totally bearable. I work in an Office Depot, so you know. Selling post it notes is only so fun for so long (about five minutes, I blame the pretty colors for making it that interesting for that long).

So, for a shout out or two, Thatgirlwiththatsmile, I love you too, in a non creepy way as well! And I have seen Dogma, but the Bartelby thing is pure accident. Perhaps a Freudian slip?

Enjoy! I love you all. For real.

---

Arianna was bored. Severus had been gone exactly twenty four hours and Arianna wasn't sure quite how she managed before him. She wandered around the first night aimlessly, but today she had a plan. He would be back tomorrow for his classes, he had promised her (well, maybe not promised, but he had informed her, which was close enough) so she only had to endure twelve hours or so until she could see him again.

Her plan was, admittedly, pretty lame, but Arianna didn't care. She was going to browse muggle london after her classes and see if she couldn't find a lovely dress to match the comb Severus had gotten her and the white satin slippers the Albanian shoe maker had sent her.

She walked slowly down to the gate in a pair of boyfriend jeans and a green and black striped v necked shirt, black flats, and a dark black travelling cloak. She knew the cloak would attract attention from the muggles, but she planned to drape it over her arm like a long jacket once she reached the shops.

Arianna apparated off and was pleased to find herself directly downtown in London. She wandered the streets briefly at first before picking a favorite shop that was dimly lit and blaring loud music. She busied herself amongs the racks, picking up tops and bottoms, and once she had several suitable outfits picked out, walked to the cash register.

"Find everything alright today?" the lady asked her cheerfully, ringing out her purchases.

"Yeah," Arianna frowned a bit. "I was wondering though, I was listening to the music, and what exactly is a disco stick?"

The woman stared at Arianna for a second before answering, "Your total comes to twenty seven pounds."

Arianna frowned a bit more, but handed over the muggle money with no difficulty. Her dad was pure muggle and mother was muggle born, and had sent her and her brother to muggle schools until they were eleven. Hogwarts, however, had caused Arianna to be out of touch with muggle culture, and couldn't help but feel she had offended the lady with her question.

She set off to several other stores, becoming quite burdened with bags, and eventually finding a very pretty green dress to match the comb, although she wasn't sure if the shoes looked okay with it, she reasoned that they were white, and white went with everything, except maybe grey. She wasn't sure.

Walking out into the slushy weather, Arianna began to wonder if she should continue shopping or find something to eat.

"I most certainly do not!" a familiar voice floated into her ears, and Arianna turned her head sharply to the left to see Severus standing awkwardly in an alley way, looking strange in a pair of muggle black slacks and a black buttoned up shirt. He seemed to be arguing with what appeared to be Harry Potter. Arianna didn't move, staring openly.

"Can't you try?" Harry asked, looking agitated.

"That ship sailed about the time you ended his life, Potter. So no, I can not."

Harry seemed to sense her, and looked up. Severus also looked over immediately looking furious.

"What are you doing here?" he hissed. Harry looked surprised at him.

"You know her?" he asked.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" she ignored Harry, indicating to all the bags she had on her arms.

"It's highly suspicious." Arianna narrowed her eyes.

"I doubt I could intentionally follow you, even if I wanted to, Severus!" she snapped, shifting her weight. His eyes narrowed towards her as well, but he didn't seem to doubt her honesty.

"You know her?" Harry asked again.

"We work together," Snape snapped, and Harry's eyes lit up in curiousity.

"I see! You must be Professor...?"

"Arianna is fine," she said, and Harry walked over to shake hands. "I am the potions master."

"Too bad you weren't there when I was a student!" he enthused. "You seem much more pleasant!"

"Don't let her demeanor fool you Potter. She is, perhaps, more demanding that I was," Severus' lip curled a bit, and Arianna tossed her hair haughtily.

"I doubt that."

Harry looked amused. "Well, that's very interesting. At any rate, Severus and I must be going. I'm sure he mentioned we are keeping tabs on old Death Eaters, Severus knows all the old hiding places!"

Arianna's light eyes bore into Snape's face, his eyes averted in anger.

"Yes, I imagine he does," she didn't take her eyes off his face, but kept her tone light. "Be careful boys."

Harry grinned and Severus scowled. "Nothing to worry about. Have a nice evening."

She nodded. "You as well. And you, Severus..." He nodded curtly to her, and she walked away, seething.

So that was what he was up to. It was a relief to know he wasn't catching up with the Death Eaters, reminiscing on old curses and tortures they had used in their youth, but she was still stung that he remained so uncapable of trusting her. She thought maybe he was just afraid of being vulnerable, but shrewdly she knew he was always going to be like this, and nothing she did was going to change that now.

She apparated back not long after her run in with Snape and Potter and walked briskly back to her room. In there she hung up her new clothing and sat on her bed, though not for long. A loud, demanding knock sounded on her door, and she jumped up to answer it.

There she found Severus, looking moody and annoyed. "We need to talk."

"Are you sure? I was under the impression you preferred silence," she snapped back, but allowed him in anyway.

"What you saw, in the alley..."

"Are you leaving me for Potter?" she asked in a serious tone, her hands on his hips. He scowled down at her.

"Don't be ridiculous," he muttered. "I didn't want to tell you because I don't want you...worry." He spat out the last part like it tasted disgusting.

"Worry about what? Middle aged death eaters stringing you up by your large intestine?"

"Don't...! I hate how you joke," he scowled. "And those middle aged death eaters, as you referred to them, were in school during a similar period as I was..."

Arianna smiled coyly. "Feeling insecure about your age? Don't worry Sev, you don't look a day older than nineteen. Everyone must imagine I am your mother!"

His eyes were black, and she knew he must be furious with her. "Haha, you're a real riot," he muttered, sinking down onto a bright pink chair.

"You don't have to tell me everything, you know. Just, the basics is fine. You know, my name is Severus, I like the color black, I'm currently stalking former Death Eaters, and sometimes I like to dance around in my underpants!"

"That last part is not true!" he said, looking irritated though Arianna was sure she saw the corners of his mouth twitch.

"If we were both serious you would be bored and I would be grey."

He looked up at her, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her down on his lap. He fingered a piece of red hair, looking into her eyes. "Grey would suit you, you know."

"Then people wouldn't think it was weird for you to date me!" she giggled, poking him a bit hard in the ribs.

"Oh haha, Arianna, age is but a number."

"Yes. And speaking of aging people, my family is having a gathering, and I was kind of hoping to bring you along..."

Snape paled. "Were you now?"

"Well, my brother will be bringing Jillian who is perky and blond and really super obnoxious. He does this every year, but for some reason does not marry her. Anyway, everyone goes on and on about how beautiful she is and how proper she is, and how her job is respectable and how Anthony and her are so lovely together. And then I waltz in and everyone goes on and on about how sad it is I haven't found a proper man, and they theorize it might be because of my red hair, which is an anomaly, no one else has it, and perhaps if I stopped wandering all over the world breaking curses I might find a suitable man. So I thought this year I would show them I had."

Severus seemed amused at her speech. "And what shall you tell them about me?"

"I shall walk right up to everyone and say, mum, dad, Aunt Beatrice, this is my old potions professor, Severus Snape, the sex god of the dungeons, and he taught me everything I know, and then I will follow it with a suggestive wink."

Severus' mouth hung agape. "You shall say no such thing!"

Arianna grinned. "Only if you promise to go with me."

He looked flustered. She kissed him softly, once, twice, three times before he agreed. "Oh, alright. But none of that...dungeony stuff, I don't want your dad to blast me into pieces."

She looked at him. "Could me?"

Severus gave her a tiny, cocky smile. "Not at all."


	12. Family: The greatest gift of all

Am I updating too often? I'm having fun writing this.

Let me know! Or don't. Whatever. *sticks out tongue*

----

"You look ridiculous Severus. My whole family is muggle born, you're going to stick out like a sore thumb," Arianna complained for the third time that day.

"You look ridiculous," he muttered back, having refused to change out of his black pants, black shirt, and black robes. He eyed up her jeans and bright pink shirt that scooped down at the neck. She had on a flat tennis shoe, and he couldn't deny that he liked the effect of it all, especially from behind, but he wasn't about to admit that to her now.

"You know what? Fine. Go in looking like dracula, fine by me. It's not going to be bad enough that Aunt Beatrice thinks I'm weird and slightly mental, now she's going to meet my new boyfriend, and oh, by the way, he used to teach me in school!"

Severus rolled his eyes, but fingered his robes in a moment of self consciousness. "No. Your family will have to like me the way I am."

Arianna sighed. "Yes. Well, we do share the same genetics, so maybe they will love your wacky fashion sense and off the wall sense of humor."

He glared at her. "Just mention how I'm the sex god of the dungeons, I'm sure they'll understand."

Arianna wanted to laugh and be excited he was making a joke with her, but was too frustrated to let it show. "Don't think I won't. Just because we haven't slept together doesn't mean I can't tell tales of our sordid affair together where we do.."

Severus cut her off, looking alarmed. "Lets discuss this later, okay?"

She nodded and stepped outside the gates of Hogwarts, grabbed his hand and apparated off.

"A beach?!" he asked bewildered, his cape touching the sand.

"Yes. A beach. I live next to the ocean, surely I mentioned that." She grinned as she began walking towards the road, a good half mile away, where her house was.

"Yes, you did, several times. I, however, assumed that when we apparated, we would not go to the sandiest part of your backyard." He already had sand in his socks.

"It's not my backyard, for one, and I thought you would appreciate the beauty of my home town," she grinned, making her way to the back of her house.

"I am quite certain that was not your intention," he shot back, looking at the house they were approaching. He noticed it was at least three stories tall with a balcony on the second floor and at the roof. It was large and oddly, painted a bright blue with almost neon green shutters.

"I grew up here. Dad's a lawyer, mums was a curse breaker for Gringotts, now she works behind a desk doing accounting for them instead. Mom told dad she always wanted a home on the beach, so he bought this." She eyed him slyly. "I know it's kind of...eccentric, but once you're inside you'll forget about it."

They walked around to the front of the house, which faced the road and walked in through a bright orange door.

"ANNA!" several voices called at once, and Severus flinched. Anna? That's what they called her? It seemed strange to him.

"Hi mom," she was being hugged by a pretty woman, tall and thin with long shiny brown hair. He recognized Meridith from his own days at Hogwarts, she had been a year ahead of him, and wondered idly if she was going to find his arrangement with her daughter odd.

"Severus," she smiled warmly. "Please come into our home." He nodded a bit curtly and stepped inside the house, which was thankfully painted white. The color of it all was a little overwhelming to him.

The first thing he noticed was the pictures. Pictures of Arianna and her brother Anthony dotted the walls and covered the mantle. He stepped forward and looked at a picture of her and her brother, much younger, perhaps she was fifteen? smiling in a sundress, her hair blowing in the wind as she stood barefoot in sand, her brothers arm thrown haphazardly around her. It was a good image of her, and his eyes twitched in pleasure.

"Severus!" her dad clapped him on the back. "Heard you were dating my daughter, well can't say I disapprove though Meridith mentioned you and her were in school together," he frowned a bit before smiling again. "But what's age if not just a fancy number, eh? At least I don't have to worry about men on motorbikes anymore!" He laughed and Severus saw Arianna frown.

"That was one time dad!" she called as another relative engulfed her in a hug.

"Of course it was, of course it was!" he laughed merrily, leading Severus into a very muggle kitchen, full of steel appliances and marble counter tops. "A bit of a wild one she turned out to be, running around the world, dating foreign men, I'm just glad she came home and settled down with a Brit!"

Severus nodded a bit, uncomfortable with the family display that was going on. His family had never been close or affectionate so Arianna's family was unnerving to him.

"Well, personally, I think he's a bit to pale! Look at him, can't have seen the sun in months!" A plump lady stood behind a stove looking at him disapprovingly. "And Arianna is just as bad! Spending all that time in a dungeon cooking up whatever it is they do there! She needs some vitamin D! This weekend will do her a load of good!"

Severus eyed her up as Martin Acton steered him into a chair. The dining room connected to the kitchen and living room and Severus was disappointed to see it was painted yellow. He sat, Martin next to him, where four other men, including Anthony, sat playing cards.

"Deal us in, boys," Martin said enthusiastically.

"Not me," said Snape quickly.

"Why not?!" barked one of the men.

"I don't..." Severus was bewildered, unsure what was going on.

"Now now Bob, he's a wizard, he's probably never seen cards in his life!" Martin laughed and Bob smiled gruffly.

"Then we'll teach him!"

Just as Bob was about to deal him cards Arianna entered. "What's going on?" she asked suspiciously.

"Teaching him how to play cards!" Bob said, eyeing her up suspiciously.

"Mmm. I'll bet your were, but he doesn't have any money on him Uncle Bob, you'll have to try and con someone else," she smiled and the table burst out with laughter. Severus stood quickly and whispered into her ear, "Please help me."

Arianna smiled. "I was just going to give him a quick tour of the house."

"Don't be too long, Jillian is on her way, she'll be wanting to see you!" Anthony told her cheerfully. Severus noticed Ariannas bright smile falter for a second.

"Of course." And with that she pulled him back towards the living room where a flight of stairs lay, off to the side. "C'mon, before anyone tries to stop us."

He followed her up the first flight onto the second floor. He noticed the stairs continued up, and in the middle of the ceiling was a hole where black metal stairs spiraled up. She saw him looking at it. "That's to the balcony on the third floor," she said, taking him up to the third floor. He saw a white door with bright, glittery pink letters that spelled out ARIANNA on them. Slightly horrified he walked in to find bright pink walls, gold carpeting, pink polka dotted bed coverings, and all other girly things.

"This is my room. Well, it was, anyway," she told him, shutting her door softly behind her. Severus just stared, slightly opened mouthed.

"No. This can not..." he trailed off and Arianna was momentarily afraid.

"What's wrong?" she asked crossing the room and placing her hands on his arms.

"You...and I...and pink!" he spluttered.

"Yeah. My mom picked it out...WHEN I WAS BORN!" she enunciated each word to make him understand better. "You see, when baby girls are born parents typically paint everything pink. As I got older, my mom continued with it, and I didn't complain because it made her happy. Didn't your mom paint your room blue?"

"No." he said shortly, feeling relieved although he didn't know why.

"Well...still. Anthony's room is blue, and I think most boys rooms are like that, so don't worry. I'm not a pretty pretty princess, unless you're into that."

He just stared.

"Hey, Severus, can you tell me, what's a disco stick?"

Severus stared at her earnest face feeling the horror creep back into his chest. "I don't know..." he said slowly.

She sighed. "I know all this must be a lot for you to take in, but I'm really glad you're trying. And you know what would make you like this room better? If I..." she never got to finish her sentence as her bedroom door opened and Severus cursed the blond standing in the doorway mentally.

"ANNA!" she squealed, rushing over to hug her.

"Jillian..." Arianna looked less than enthused and patted Jillian slowly on the back. "So good to see you..."

"You two! Wow, you look exactly the same, just a little bigger!" she smiled widely and Severus was angry. Arianna did not look fat!

"You too, Jillian. Have you colored your hair recently?"

He smiled on the inside at Arianna's little quip, but Jillian didn't seem to notice. "What? No, I didn't color it..."

"Oh. Yeah, it looks....nice," Arianna smiled and Jillian let her go. She turned and faced Severus and her face wrinkled. "New boyfriend? Where'd you find this one?"

"Russia. He's part of a coalition," Arianna said, standing next to Severus.

"Oh. Better than that Italian, at least he doesn't smell," Jillian sniffed the air delicately, just to be sure and Severus straightened his frame considerably.

"Anthony told me he was an old teacher of yours," she said suddenly and Arianna was impressed Jillian managed to remember something other than the way to Anthony's bedroom.

"Yes, yes he was. But now he is not," Arianna felt defensive.

"Still, he must be like, thirty years older than you."

"That would make him sixty Jillian. Does he look sixty to you? Never mind, don't answer that," Arianna was becoming angry quickly and could tell just by his posture that Severus was already there.

"It's just kinda weird...like...was he thinking this stuff while you were his student?" she asked, eyeing up him.

"I most certainly..."Severus started, indignant, but Arianna cut across him smoothly.

"Of course he was, Jillykins. How could he not, I was such an attractive eleven year old, he must have just been biding his time, waiting for his chance."

Jillians eyes widened. "How scary."

Severus realized that he was dealing with a moron, and rolled his eyes. Ariannas eyes, however, were wide in mock horror. "Scary indeed."

Jillian shot Severus another terrified glance and walked quickly out. Arianna shut the door with her wand and locked it.

"She's a..."

"Idiot? Yeah, no, I'm aware," Arianna interrupted, seeing the amused look on Severus' face. "Everyone looooves Jillian, she's so blond and perky! I would be like her, but I have a brain and an IQ higher than a grapefruit, so it doesn't work too well for me. Anthony loves being with her, I think, because she looks so good standing next to him. I know he hates when she speaks. That's probably why he won't marry her."

Severus looked horrified again. "How could anyone think of spending the rest of their life with such an idiot?"

"I'm going to take that as a compliment," Arianna grinned. "And she's pretty, that's how. They'll have pretty babies."

He mulled that over, wondering for a moment of what his and Arianna's children would look like, but instantly quelled that thought.

"What were you saying before, about making the room better?"

She grinned, pulling him closer by the ends of his cloak. He wrapped an arm around her and lifted her feet off the ground, making her face and his the same height.

"You've got the right idea," she grinned. He nearly dropped her when, ten seconds later, a loud pounding came from the door. He groaned under his breath as more relatives entered and pretended not to be thinking of killing himself...

The night was torture for Severus, who learned how to play cards, and was also subjected to making a sand castle wearing blue flowery board shorts he borrowed from Arianna's dad, and a white t-shirt. The meal was good but was ruined by Aunt Beatrice asking him if they really called him "the sex god of the dungeons" and when Jillian explained to the table what a disco stick was.

His favorite part was when everyone headed out and Martin granted him permission to sleep in Arianna's room, though he could have done without the suggestive winking and elbowing.

"Tomorrow will be better, it'll just be mom, dad, me, you, Jillian, and Anthony. Less people, I know that weirds you out."

He muttered noncommittally, allowing her to lay on his chest. There were several minutes of silence and he had almost fallen asleep when she said, "I liked you in those shorts," causing him to cringe on the inside again.

The next morning was better...and worse. It was good because he woke up to her kissing him softly, and worse because her dad burst into the room, in bright red shorts and no shirt announcing breakfast was ready. He watched her change, dreading having to put on more brightly colored shorts.

"You should go shirtless too," Arianna commented, throwing on a black t that seemed to hug her entire body and jean shorts.

"Absolutely not," he said, putting on a black t-shirt as well, though it looked no where near as good on him as it did on her, he reflected.

Breakfast was fine, Severus had learned to tune Jillian out though he noticed Arianna had more difficulty. He knew it was a battle of wits with her, Arianna had a smartass thing to say after every story Jillain told, and while he admired it he didn't know why she bothered when it was clear she was the more intelligent one. A piece of toast was more intelligent than Jillian.

The beach was worse, Martin forced Severus to play several games of horseshoe and frisbee with him. His favorite moment was when Arianna took off her clothing and got into what had to be very cold ocean water in a swim suit, but it was marred by her mother mentioning that Arianna wasn't getting any younger and something about her biological clock ticking. Plus, Jillian came out practically naked and began squealing loudly at how cold the water was, causing Arianna to inform her that it was March as she put her clothes back on.

Dinner was tolerable as no one spoke much. Severus tuned everything out, grateful they were leaving that night.

"It was good seeing you again, Severus!" Martin clapped him hard on the back again as Arianna hugged her mom.

"Keep in touch," she smiled and Arianna nodded.

"Let us know when to start planning a beach wedding!" Martin guffawed. Ariannas smile tightened and Severus just stared into the fireplace. They took the floo network back to the castle, and the second were back in Severus' quarters he grabbed the a bit roughly, picked her up, and threw her on his bed.

"Whats..."

"Got to live up to my reputation," He said darkly. "Besides, I've been thinking about this all weekend."

Arianna didn't bother arguing.


	13. Waking up alone

Two things I would like to mention before moving on with the story. First of all, someone mentioned I had my anonymous reviews turned off, which I didn't realize, but I think I like it better. If you have something negative to say about the story I am fine with that, but you should have the balls to say it with your own name out there so if I choose to reply I have the option.

Second, someone asked if there would be a...ahem...sex scene. I hadn't actually considered it, however I decided that we could all discuss it like mature adults (no giggling please!), and if the majority was in favor then I would man up and do it (woman up, I am not a man, just for the record). Anyone with an opinion who wants to comment on it, drop me a line via review or PM, or you can request my phone number and tell me personally. No prank phone calls allowed.

Now that we have that out of the way, you are all loooooovely! And I love you. Did I mention that? I do. It's true.

---

Arianna awoke the next morning aware of several things. One, she was naked. Two, she was alone. And three, her classes started in twenty minutes and she could not show up in yesterdays shorts nor one of Severus' black robes. She was supposed to be showing discrestion.

Grumbling to herself she pulled the blankets off and walked quickly across the cold stone floor gathering up her clothing from the previous nights activities. She didn't see him anywhere in there, which was slightly disappointng, so she stole out of there quickly, making a mad dash for the stair case.

"Professor," several students nodded at her, looking at her odd assortment of clothing. She nodded back as she made her way up four flights of stairs to her personal quarters and into proper proffessor attire. She pulled her hair up into a neat ponytail, robes on, and checked herself in the mirror quickly for any tell tale signs of beard burn or hickies.

Pleased that she looked normal, she made her way back to the dungeons to find her first hour class lined up outside the door. She opened them and allowed them to take their seats. She had fifth years today.

"Draught of peace," she said, flicking her wand at the board where instructions appeared. "You will complete this in an hour and bring me up a vial at the end of the allotted time. If you finish early you may leave once you are finished. Begin."

She sat at her desk mulling over the nights events, which were pleasing to remember, but awful when she got to the part about waking up alone. She wondered if he had tried to wake her and she just had forgotten, or if he had slipped out as she slept unnoticed.

The day went by slowly, her last class dragging. She had to work hard not to throttle Bartleby and almost didn't succeed.

"Twelve inches on hellebore due tuesday!" she called after her seventh years' retreating backs before slumping tiredly back into her chair.

"Long day?" a silky voice came from the door.

"You could say that," she responded, keeping her head pressed into the desk.

She didn't hear him move so she looked up to see him standing there, frowning at her. "What happened to you this morning?"

His frown became deeper. "I assumed you would know that us leaving together from my quarters would cause...talk..."

Her eyes were scathing. "And I guess if you had left me a note it would have caused the castle to talk as well?" She cocked an eyebrow, and he scowled darker, if that was possible.

"I didn't think it would be such an issue." He swept into the room and slammed the door behind him.

"It wouldn't be an issue if I were you I suppose. I suppose," she tapped her pointer finger on her chin in mock thought, "If you had woken alone it would not have bothered you in the slightest. You would have realized that, had I woken you and let you know the time, or perhaps just let you know I was leaving, that I merely cared for you and that would not be acceptable."

"Arianna, you are a ridiculous creature," he practically spat but he did not move.

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not, but I'm not the one who still has sand in my shoes."

He shifted uncomfortably. "I do not."

"Sure you don't. And so you know, I took a picture of you in those shorts. You know," she grinned cheekily. "Just to remember you by."

He spluttered, unable to respond.

"I know you are...a little...cold...Severus. I know that, and I'm willing to deal with it. I just need you try a little harder. I don't need you to parade around the castle in robes with my face on them. I just need you to be willing to leave me a note in the mornings. Maybe something that says, oh, I dunno, 'Glad you're still breathing, keep up the good work. Severus.' Seems plausible, right?"

"You are impossible," he contiuned to scowl, but she was pleased that he didn't disagree with her.

They walked together to dinner, Arianna making smartass comments the whole way as Snape rolled his eyes.

"Professor Acton?" Bartleby walked up to her, breaking up her and Snape.

"Yes, Jason?" she asked, her irritation clear in her voice.

"Well, I was just wondering if I could be excused from this weeks lessons?"

"I'm sorry...what?" she responded. He pulled out a piece of parchment.

"It's from my parents." Arianna was surprised that his usual cockiness was absent from his tone. Instead he seemed docile and almost afraid.

Arianna unfurled it and began reading. "Have you spoken with the Headmistress about this?"

He nodded. "She said I had to have the individual permission of all my teachers."

Arianna nodded back. "That's fine, you may be excused for now."

Bartleby hurried off and Arianna joined Severus up at the staff table.

"Did he ask you to be excused?" Severus asked her as she spooned soup into her bowl.

"Yeah, why, did he ask you too?"

"He did..." Severus had a dark look in his eyes.

"Wonder what he's up to," she contemplated.

"Indeed," said Severus.

Arianna had a feeling Severus already knew, but she didn't question it...for now...


	14. Valentines day

Older-love, you're like my best friend. It's official, lets get matching bracelets, okay?

Also, no one really had too much of an opinion on the whole...sex thing, mostly I noticed people wanted to be aware it was going on without having to feel they were watching backyard sluts in space or something, so I'll try and do that. I'm good at being vague.

Okay, so shits gonna start getting a bit more real. Not all at once, but you know...well all know Snape (Staples HA!) is lying, or at least concealing most of the truth, and Arianna is vaguely aware, but not really.

Okay, also, I wanted to point out that two chapters ago I mentioned it was March. I'm going to go back and change that because I wanted to write a V-day scene for the fluffiness!

ON WITH THE STORY! (I'm making pancakes btw!) (also,Robin Hood: Prince of Theives is another good A.R. movie. Fave line, "You, my room ten thirty. You, ten forty five...bring a friend...)

-----

Severus had warned her several times that we wanted absolutely nothing. He had said explicitly told her to pretend it was not going on at all. Clearly Severus had forgotten who his girlfriend was. Arianna scoured London looking for something awesome and Snapey for him as well as purchasing a pair of bright pink robes. She was excited for the occassion and was planning to teach her students how to make a love potion.

She did find him the perfect gift that was also non-romantic. It was a very rare first edition of spells and the theory behind defensive dark arts. It had taken her several weeks to track down, and a lot of galleons to actually own, and she was very pleased with it. Surely he couldn't be angry with her once he saw it, she knew he did not own it. It was incredibly rare, and she had checked his shelves many times just to be sure. She didn't know if he had it at his other home, but was willing to guess that if he did, he would keep it at Hogwarts.

She walked down for breakfast in the great hall to see rose petals falling from the ceiling. She sat next to him at the staff table and heard him groan softly. "Seriously?" he asked, eyeing the bright pink of her robes.

"No, you are just imagining it," she replied, helping herself to some sausages. He didn't reply.

"I'll see you at the end of the day?" she asked as he began to walk away.

"Yes, that's fine," he murmured before sweeping away.

Arianna enjoyed her day throuougly. The kids were excited to be doing something fun, although she had to keep a watchful eye on them to be sure they didn't try and bottle any up for personal use. She also found herself enjoying he seventh year class now that Bartleby was absent. Her seventh years all made perfect potions causing her to award all four houses fifty points a piece.

After the dungeon was cleaned up she made her way to Snapes personal quarters. He was sitting inside, dressed in typical all black and looking quite nervous.

"Something on your mind sweetykins?" she asked teasingly, shutting the door behind her.

"No...I have a gift for you," he muttered softly. Arianna looked at him in surprise.

"A gift? For me! But you told me to forget this day exsisted! Remember?! You said if I didn't you would hand me upside down from my nose hairs! And I said I didn't have nose hairs, and then you said-"

"I remember what I said," he cut smoothly across her. "However, I realized that you would disregard what I said, which was apparent today at breakfast." He gestured at her clothing.

"Well, good, I got you something as well!" she grinned, pulling out her book which she had wrapped up in pink and red paper. He picked it up as if it were made of acid.

"Open it!" she urged, and grinning even wider as he picked apart the paper.

"Wow..." he said despite himself as he looked at the ancient binding of the book. "Where did you find this?"

She smiled coyly. "I have my sources. Good thing I disregarded what you asked me, eh?"

His eyes were dark and unreadable. "It would seem so..." He pulled from beneath his robes something very small, in a tiny box with a big green bow on it.

"Where'd you get the bow?" she asked him, taking the tiny package.

"The store," he growled, still holding the book as if it were his first born son. "Open it Arianna before I change my mind."

"Mmmkay grumpykins." She opened the lid to find a thin silver chain with a black and green cauldron charm on it. "A bracelet?" she asked, taking it out.

"You can add different charms to it," he mumbled, looking at his feet. "I put the cauldron on it because you like potion making so much."

She clasped the bracelet onto her wrist, looking at the tiny caudron dangling sweetly there and then flung her arms around his neck and kissing him on the cheek. "It's the best!" she gushed enthusiastically.

He peeled her off him. "There is something I want to tell you."

"Okay," she smiled, still fingering the fragile cauldron.

"I'm going to be gone for a while after the end of the week...and I want you to stay out of trouble..."he looked like he was having difficulty saying ll of this, kind of the way a dog eats peanut butter. "I would hate myself it anything were to...happen...to you..."

She smiled. "Aw...Severus, I love you too!" His face turned bright red.

"I...I didn't say...I wasn't...saying...I mean..." he stammered.

"You don't have to," she said simply. "Where are you going?"

"No where," he said, back to his cold self.

"With the friend with no name?" she asked him, grin still in place. He scowled.

"You're better off, the less you know," he scowled.

"I'm sure I am," she replied. "But you should trust me, I'm not going to tell the Daily Prophet you know."

He just looked at her. "I know."


	15. A dramatic interlude

Okay, so this is actually why I rated it M (for Mature, not your mom...she would be rated E for everyone OH BURN!). Things will get kind of serious, there will be death eaters and pretty dresses and evil vampires and really cold water. I'm going to try and break it up over several chapters, but sometimes I get overly excited, so stop me if I start to ramble (ramble ramble).

Okay. So if any of that sounds unpleasant to you (no sparkly vampires in this one, sorry), please close your eyes and have a friend read it aloud instead. Or light your computer on fire. Whatever you need to do.

p.s. I love you all. Really. How does a june wedding sound?

----

Severus had been gone exactly three days, eleven hours and twenty six minutes...not that Arianna was counting. She found herself fiddling with her cauldron charm underneath her robes as she attempted not to kill every single student she had. She was failing in the attempt and was quite certain that by the time he got home he would be visiting her in a four by six cell in Azkaban.

"Professor, can I-"

"No." Arianna interrupted and the small first year shuffled back to her desk looking sullen. Arianna didn't care. If she was to be miserable then by gone it so would everyone else.

"Professor Acton?" the door opened and one of her N.E.W.T students walked in holding parchment. "It's from Professor Watertrunk."

"Thank you," she grumbled, taking the parchment from him. She unfurled it and began reading it. It instructed her to meet him in his office after his class. She felt a twinge of irritation of having to walk all the way up to the sixth floor to talk to him.

However Arianna did go up to Watertrunks office. "You rang," she said in an bored tone.

"Arianna!" he said enthusiastically. They had been in school together, Edward and her, but had never been friends. It hadn't been until he took over Transfiguration when McGonagal became headmistress did he contact her again, letting her know of the Potions post and even recommending her to McGonagal. "How are you?"

"Lovely," she said in a monotone. "And yourself?"

"Not well, I'm afraid. I have a letter here for you from Severus."

Her eyes narrowed. Severus had never mentioned being in contact with Watertrunk, and if she recalled correctly, she had spent one evening laughing quite hard over an impression he had been doing of Watertrunk.

"A letter?"

"Yes, he sent it to me in hopes I could give it to you," Watertrunk looked at her earnestly.

"Why wouldn't he just send it to me directly?" she asked shrewdly.

"I'm not sure. Perhaps he feared it would be intercepted?" Watertrunk responded innocently.

"Could it not be intercepted if it is sent to you?"

"I don't know Arianna. He didn't give me specifics."

Arianna took the letter from Edward and read it, Edward watching her carefully. "What does it say?" he asked quietly.

"He wants me to meet him at his home in London as soon as I can. He said it's urgent," she said distractedly.

"He must love you very much," Edward said, watching her closely. Ariannas eyes became wide. "Why would you say that?"

"I see how he looks at you. You don't have to be a genius to figure it out."

She nodded stiffly. "I'm going to apparate there, just to be sure," she said.

"By all means," he smiled at her, and she hurried out to the front gate, extremely worried. There was a tugging feeling in her gut that something wasn't right but she ignored it, hurrying as quickly as possible to the gate, and apparated right outside his home in London.

She walked quickly up, still ignoring that nagging feeling and knocked quickly. The door opened slowly, apparently by itself, and she entered hestantly. "Severus..." she called out quietly. The door slammed shut behind her and she was greated by five people at wand point.

"Drop your wand..." Watertrunk was staring at her, triumph written all over his face. She let her wand slide from her hand her eyes locked over his shoulder on a man holding a large knife to a young red headed girls throat.

"Ginny?" she asked, sounding strangled. She hadn't seen Ginny since she had stopped dating her brother Bill, and Ginny had been just a little girl. Her eyes were wide but she didn't look scared, more angry.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Questions are for later, pretty princess," Watertrunk grinned, and Arianna heard a smash and realized that something just broke over her head before everything went dark...

There were voices. Quiet voices. Arianna lifted her head and noticed she was cold. Also her hands were chained above her head. Odd. She couldn't figure out what was going on.

"Professor?" Arianna looked up to see Jason Bartleby kneeling in front of Ginny with a cup of water in his hands.

"Where am...we?" she slurred, still not fully coherent.

"I can't tell you," he said looking sad. "I would be murdered if they knew I was down here keeping you both hydrated."

"Is this...dungeon?" she was trying to regain her sense of eloquence.

"Yeah. Well, no, it's actually a tower. It's about a one hundred foot drop out that window," he pointed to a window that was unbarred. "Into freezing water, with five miles to the nearest land, which happens to be infested with Vampires." He looked at her concernedly.

"Where is my wand?" she asked as he poured water down her throat.

"I don't know. My parents don't tell me anything, they just have me make sure you two are alive."

"Why us?" she asked, looking next to her at Ginny who seemed to be wondering the same thing.

"I don't know. Like I said, they don't tell me anything."

"Can you at least unchain us?" Ginny asked trying not to look too hopeful.

"I can try and look for the key...don't see how that would hurt," he muttered, mostly to himself. He scurried out, up some stairs and they heard a light thud, confirming he was gone.

"Do you think he'll unlock us?" Ginny asked.

"Maybe," Arianna was craning her neck towards the window. "How far do you think that jump really is?"

"Fifty, seventy five feet?" Ginny asked. "I saw it when we were coming up."

"Think we could make it?"

"As long as there are no rocks at the bottom, but can you swim five miles? Or deal with Vampires?" she asked.

"Everyone says random patches of land are infested with Vampires, but there are no permanent Vampire settling in England anymore, they all moved east."

"Still..." Ginny looked aphrehensive.

"If we stay we're just bait," she said bitterly.

"Bait? For who, Harry and...?"

Arianna felt a lump rise. "Severus."

Ginny burst out laughing. "Professor Snape?"

Arianna narrowed her eyes. "Yeah. I know it's not the Chosen One, but he's alright you know..."

She was laughing hysterically. "Just...he's....so....bat like!" she seemed to be trying to control her laughter.

"Yeah. Well hazard of the occupation I guess," she muttered.

"What ever happened with you and Bill?" she asked. Arianna sighed, thinking back on Bill Weasley, her first ever boyfriend, and love. They began dating at the end of her seventh year, attracted by the mutal interest of uncursing objects.

"Didn't work out...clearly...that was ages ago," she said.

"I remember you a bit," she said, squinting her eyes.

"Yeah well, I remember you too, we played dolls once or twice, it was cute. Anyway, my point is Ginny, if we stay they'll use us as bait, kill them and then kill us. Or worse."

"And if we jump into frigid water and die I'll leave my children with no mother," she said, looking scared for the first time. Arianna looked surprised. "You have children?"

"Yeah. Brand new baby, James."

They both reflected on this quietly for the rest of the night and well into the next morning. Meanwhile...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"She wouldn't leave the baby alone like that," Harry was telling a tall man in dark flowing robes.

"Perhaps she grew tired of your large head," he responded silkily.

"Yeah, or maybe she was forced against her will out of our home. Have you heard from Acton?" he asked sharply.

Severus shot him a look of utter loathing. "No I have not, but that doesn't mean anything."

"Uh huh. Because I was under the impression you and her-"

"Well you were wrong, Potter!"

"I don't think I am. At any rate, we should head back to your house and see if we can find anything." Harry's eyes were worried again.

Severus agreed and they made their way back to London only to find his home in chaos, books thrown about, furniture over turned, there was a small blood stain on a wall. Severus paled. "So they're aware we've been following them," he muttered, picking up a book and flipping through it.

"Why would they ransack your home but not mine?" Harry asked confusedly.

"Because we keep everything here. It's not safe to have it around your wife and child," Severus murmured, flicking his wand at the mess and watching it clean itself up. Just as everything was going to it's rightful place two small objects smacked him and Potter in the face.

"Ginny's ring," Harry said, picking it up. Ariannas bracelet hit Severus square in the forehead, the one he had gotten her for Valentines day. Harry bent over to pick up a small piece of paper with the words, "Come and get it," written on it....

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I really have to pee," Arianna said, looking at Ginny who looked just as uncomfortable.

They heard the door open and Jason slipped back down. "I'm just supposed to make sure you two are alive. I couldn't get your wands, I don't know where they're hiding them, but here," he put a small key in Arianna's chained up hand. "I'm leaving for school again today. I hope you make it okay professor."

"Thank you," she smiled and he hurried out of the room. Arianna immediately went to work trying to get the key into the lock, which was hard work and twice she nearly dropped it before she finally succeeded, two hours later. Rubbing her wrists as she unlocked Ginny, the two made their way to the window.

"It's a long drop," Ginny said, looking down.

"I know," Arianna was imagining a horrible, watery end.

"But you're right. We can't die in here. They'll probably realize we're gone before Harry and Snape get here."

"And Severus won't stop until he finds our bodies," Arianna was slightly cheered by this thought.

"Shall we go together?" Ginny asked.

"I don't think we can fit..."

"We can stand on that tiny ledge and jump...."

"Okay."

the two clambered out the window cautiously, their heels the only things keeping them on the ledge directly outside their prison, one hand clasped to the other, their free hands clutching the window. The wind whipped their hair around and was bitingly cold. Arianna had no delusuions about the warmth of the water they were about to plunge into.

"ARE YOU READY?!" Arianna yelled over the whistling wind. Ginny nodded. They squeezed hands and then jumped.

Arianna had to bite back screams, she had not been prepared for the fall, she had only concentrated on hitting the water. The fall was the hard part, it seemed to last forever.

They hit the water, breaking the thin layer of ice that was covering it and plunged into the depths. The water was freezing and their lungs contracted hard as they broke hands to make their way back to the surface.

Arianna came up first gasping hard for air. Ginny followed seconds later, her lips practically blue. Arianna knew she must look nearly the same.

"Lets go!" Ginny chattered, and two began swimming as quickly away from the tower they had just been locked in, unaware that Severus and Harry were a mere two hours away from discovering it's location and coming for them.

The swim was arduous. By the time they spotted land Arianna was ready to give up. Ginny was urging her on, but neither of them could feel their bodies anymore, and Arianna didn't think she could keep up much longer. The harder they swam the colder they felt.

Arianna rolled onto the cold dirt, Ginny shivering next to her.

"I th-th-thi-in-in-k-k-k w-e-e-e- ma-ma-ade-de a-a-a m-m-m-ist-take," Arianna chattered as the two scooted together.

Ginny nodded fervently, her eyes dropping. Arianna was about to tell her not to go to sleep when she found herself suddenly very warm and dreaming about Severus standing in beach trunks lecturing her on the dangers of werewolves.

Arianna woke with a start in a small bed, Ginny next to her who was also stirring.

"Where are we?" Arianna found herself asking again.

"You are safe," a smooth voice said. Ginny and Arianna looked up to see an incredibly handsome man sitting on the end of the bed, and Arianna wasn't sure if he had been there just a moment before. He had long, dark hair which was pulled off his face, and bright blue eyes that set off nicely with his fair skin.

"Who are you?" Ginny asked.

"Amir," he smiled, revealing pearly white teeth, and instantly the both felt reassured. Arianna was sure Ginny had been expecting to see fangs as well.

"Can we apparate home?" she asked unexpectedly.

"No one can apparate here," he said in his honey voice. "It takes you straight back to the castle."

"Good thing we didn't try that," Ginny murmured and Arianna found herself in agreement. What a waste, to swim for so long only to end up back where they started.

"I found you both very near death at the waters edge," he said, a smile playing on his lips. "I hope you don't mind, I took the liberty of changing you out of your...damp...belongings."

Ginny and Arianna both instantly looked down to find themselves in elaborate, albeit elegant dresses.

"A bit eighteenth century, don't you think?" Arianna said, looking at the long green number she found herself in. Ginny was also fingering the dark blue dress she was placed in.

"I'm afraid they are old family items," he confessed not looking upset at all. "Just something that was lying around...there hasn't been a woman in this house for over a hundred years."

"I see," Arianna said, still feeling at ease.

"They look like they were made for you both, though, wouldn't you say?" He arched an eyebrow at them, and Ginny and Arianna looked at eachother uneasily.

"We really should be going," Ginny said, standing in the dress.

"Oh, but naturally," he smiled widely again. "Would you allow me to accompany you out of the forest? It's the very least I could do, and it would put my mind at rest to know you two weren't wandering these haunted woods alone..."

Ginny and Arianna exchanged. "I don't think that's really necessary..."Arianna began, but Amir cut across her like honey again.

"Oh, but I insist."

"Well...if you insist..." Ginny glanced over at Arianna again, and they both wondered what they could have possibly gotten themselves into...

-------

Okay. So. Part one of a I dont know how long series. Tell me what you think...I was a little hesitant to do this, seems dramatic, but I wanted something interesting to move the story in a more dramatically charged way...

Still to come: Vampires! Rock falls! Witty comments! Pyrokinetics! Death Eaters! Serial Killers! A blossoming and beautiful friendship between Harry and Severus (okay, that's a lie).

Stay tuned for As The World Aparates...


	16. The whole flaming truth

...So I notice some...hesitation....I swear to God I am not doing anything that would violate the Severusy-ness of the story, but if he rescued her in one chapter it'd be yawnsville and you all know it! *points accusingly*

So, also, I don't want you guys to think I have no life (even though I don't), but I have a lovely little break from training to be all nursey and what not, and I don't know what to do with my time, so I watch Alan Rickman movies (Galaxy Quest atm!), eat popsicles, go to the gym, and UPDATE THIS STORY.

Okay. Now. On with the dramatics!

------

Four men hung upside down seemingly from nothing. A tall man in a dark cloak stood underneath them, a wand twirling in his hands as he argued with his companion, a shorter man with messy dark hair.

"I just don't think hanging them upside down was the best plan," Harry Potter said idly, flicking one of the prisoners hair out of his way.

"Well I forgot my cupcakes Potter, so this will have to suffice!" Severus Snape hissed back, turning his attention back to one of the hanging men. "Bartleby! Where did you put them? Severus spat into a brunette mans face which, though upside down, was level with Snapes.

Bartleby spat in his face.

"Mmm, yeah, we're really getting somewhere here." Harry responded looking angry again. "Just read his mind, you're good at that!"

"He is repelling me," Severus was growing frusterated. "Maybe a little motivation..." he flicked his wand again and Bartleby went flying towards a familar window, a window that not two hours before, two young red headed women had leaped from.

"How about a swim...can't survive this fall can you Bartleby...no one could..." Severus said softly, but Bartleby began laughing loudly.

"Do I amuse you?" Snape asked dangerously.

"Yeah, Severus," Bartleby laughed again. "Because your red head jumped out of it."

Harry swore behind him and Severus grabbed Bartleby's laughing face and slammed his face into the stone of the castle. Bartleby crumpled onto the ground, unconscience.

"Do you think they really jumped?" Harry asked, stepping over Bartleby's body and looking out the window.

"Knowing Arianna, I believe they jumped from it singing show tunes," Severus said, his face dark with anger.

"I think we need to alert the ministry now. This is serious," Harry said, peering out the window again.

"Since when did you ever follow the rules, Potter?" Snape spat as he turned from the window and swept out of the room. Harry followed quickly behind.

"Since my wife began leaping out of windows into frigid water!" Harry yelled, his temper getting the better of him. Severus grabbed the front of his robes and slammed him into the wall.

"And involving the ministry will just slow us down and waste time Potter! If they...survived then they are currently wandering a dark and dangerous forest in a foreign country!"

Harry shoved Snape off him. "Alright. Lets go," Harry headed up the stairs, Severus following, both men scowling deeply. Meanwhile...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Ginny," Arianna whispered. The three had been walking through the deep forest for several hours in floor length ball gowns.

"Yeah?" She whispered back, bumping shoulders with Arianna.

"Something is wrong," Arianna looked pointedly at Amir, who was walking several feet in front of them.

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked, her eyes wide orbs.

"Is something wrong, ladies?" Amir turned around and looking at them.

"Where are you taking us?" Ginny asked, looking difiant.

"To saftey," he smiled.

"Which is where?" Arianna asked again. She had enough vagueness from Severus, she didn't need it from this odd man.

"There is a muggle village quite nearby...I mean to leave you there," he smiled again, and Ginny and Arianna trudge on through the darkness in the forest, dresses dragging at their feet, tired and hungry but most of all a little fearful.

They walked almost all night not speaking, Amir practically floating in front of them, both of them uneasy. They couldn't hear anything around them, it seemed as if they were walking in complete, eerie silence.

They reached the muggle village before dawn hit and Amir took them to a small inn. "A man I know well lives here...it will be safe for you two here," he smiled again and Ginny and Arianna thanked him, quite glad to be rid of him.

"So...I guess we sleep here for a while and then try and find a way out?" Ginny said, sitting on a small bed.

"Yeah. Seems like a good plan." Arianna was already asleep.

They woke to the sun setting. "We can't keep walking around in these stupid things!" Arianna was frusterated with the length of her dress. Ginny didn't look any happier.

"We could cut it," Ginny suggested, brandishing a large silver knife.

"Well...now...it is keeping our legs warm I suppose," Arianna eyed the large knife warily.

"I guess..." Ginny frowned, put didn't set the knife down.

The door flew open as the sun set. Arianna and Ginny jumped back startled, to see Amir looking quite feral.

"Still here I see," he said, his voice sounding harsher than Arianna remembered it.

"Clearly," Ginny responded, still holding the knife.

"What..." Arianna stopped, suddenly feeling an overwhelming desire to follow him. Ginny seemed to be responding similarily since she dropped her knife on the floor.

"Follow me," he said softly and the two followed him out, out of the village and back deep into the woods. In her mind Arianna was screaming to stop, yelling for help but her mouth seemed unable to convey the words, her body unwilling to stop, and the further they travled the less yelling she did and the more she began to think she wanted to follow this creature to where ever he was taking them. She didn't look at Ginny or the woods, just Amir who was becoming more and more feral as they walked.

"In here, ladies," he smiled and Arianna saw fangs, but instead of being frightened like she ought to be she felt soothed. He wasn't going to hurt her. He was her friend. He loved her, and she loved him. Her mind had stopped processing the danger her and Ginny were in, to possessed by the vampire's hypnosis. The two walked into a dark and deserted cave that seemed to tunnel underground, but he wasn't taking them as far as the lair. He hadn't fed in days and these two girls had walked right into his trap.

"Sit, please..." he said watching with pleasure as both girls immediately dropped to their knees and swept their hair off to one side, exposing their necks. "Excellent..."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Accio Arianna!" Severus said for the fourteenth time, his wand pointing at the dark water. He was half terrified her body would come flying up from the icy waters bowels, but again, nothing happened.

"I don't think they're in there," Harry said softly again for the fourteenth time. "Look, see, here is Ginny's shoe, I pointed this out to you about twenty minutes ago. We're wasting time. If they were in the water Ginny's shoe would not be sitting up here on the bank. They must have swum," Harry concluded, holding onto a white shoe that Ginny had been wearing.

"And then where did they go?" Severus growled, his eyes searching the forest, which was being illuminated by the morning suns rays.

"They...they must have gone into the forest. Where else could they go?" Harry was also looking darkly into the woods.

"Obviously Potter. Somethings do not merit a response," Severus swept towards the forest and the two began walking in silence.

"How far could they have gotten?" Harry asked several hours of walking later. Severus had been wondering the same thing. He kept imagining what they must have done. They would have jumped into the water, which was freezing, and swam five miles to the shore. He could not fathom that they could have begun traipsing through a dangerous forest by themselves without a wand after swimming in freezing water.

"Apparently they mean to astonish us with their incredible determination," Severus muttered, his eyes darting around for any signs of bodies. They two had cast sensory charms that would detect any kind of movement near them as well as any signs of a dead human body. So far only several squirrels had set it off.

They reached the village at nightfall. "Surely if they had come here they would have stayed," Harry reasoned and Severus found he had to agree, however much he hated to admit it, with Potter.

"Question the muggles," Severus said softly, making his way over to woman with a bread cart. "Excuse me," he said, his eyes boring into hers. She looked up and he almost gasped in surprise. This was no mere muggle, her eyes were too blue, two puncture wounds on her neck gave her away. Taking advantage of her momentary confusion he began pulling her memories to the surface of her mind, pictures of vampires who ran the village, a dark haired one in particular...Amir...he saw Arianna and Ginny enter the village with him looking sleepy and he saw them exit the village with him again, looking entranced. He pulled himself out of her mind and saw her staring at him blankly.

"None of them speak," Harry said as Severus walked back over to them.

"It is because they are chalices," Severus spat. Harry stared at him, comprehendingly.

"Do they know anything about..."

"It seems we are looking for vampires now. One accompanies the girls and you can bet he will not keep them alive long, "Severus said in a dangerous voice as the two swept towards the forest again. "We are looking for an underground lair...a cave, perhaps. Lumos," he murmured.

"Look," Harry pointed towards the ground where a trail of leaves seemed to have parted as if there were something very light slithering across it.

Severus and Harry began running, following the trail the girls had unknowingly given them with their attire...

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"It's been a long time since I had a nice meal," Amir breathed slowly on Arianna's neck, his lips gently caressing it. Her mind was blank and she felt no fear as she rationally would. His lips touching her skin sent electric currents down her skin and she sighed softly. "Magical blood tastes better than those foul muggles...but still...a meal is a meal..."

He was instantly next to Ginny. It was if he evaporated momentarily only to reappear next to her. Ginny did not struggle either. "What a lucky find you both were, lying there, near death. I should thank those meddling wizards for building that home there, they've sent many wizards as of late. You two are my favorite find, however..." he ran his teeth along her jaw line and Ginny closed her eyes, breathing out softly.

"It's a shame, to lose beatuy like yours, it's a rare find," he sighed. "Still, better to die beautiful than to wither away into ash..."

He opened his mouth wide, about to bite down, and the spell seemed broken. Arianna screamed loudly as Ginny sat motionless, and then there was blinding burst of light. Taking advantage of Amirs momentary distraction, Arianna ran to Ginny and began shaking her. Ginny looked as if she were coming out of a long sleep. Her eyes grew wide at the light, and both of them shielded their eyes from it sinister laughing filled the mouth of the cave.

"Takes more than a little magic to frighten me," Amir said, his voice smooth like silk again, and Arianna felt at ease again.

"How about a little midnight sun then?" A different kind of silky voice punctured through the stillness and Arianna shrieked from the corner her and Ginny had stopped moving in.

"Severus!"

The light faded to reveal Severus Snape and Harry Potter standing in the mouth of the cave, looking furious. Amir was still missing. Harry tossed them their wands.

"Quickly, get over here!" he urged. Arianna lunged for her wand, finally feeling in control again, but neither her nor Ginny moved.

"C'mon!" Severus said again.

"NO!" Arianna yelled, stopping Ginny from rushing over.

"What? Are you crazy?" Ginny looked at her. Arianna stared at her, trying to convey her message telepathically.

"I won't let you hurt him!" Arianna said loudly and Ginny just stared at her for a second. A light dawned on her face, she seemed to understand what Arianna was playing at.

"Don't come any closer!" Ginny yelled and both of them pointed their wands at Severus and Harry. Arianna eyed Severus, knowing he would try and disarm them, but before he could the laughing filled the cave again and Amir dropped in front of the girls, placing himself in between them and the men.

"Vampire hypnosis is only temporary," Severus said dangerously. "I wouldn't turn my back on them."

Amir laughed. "They would no sooner hurt me than they would hurt themselves. See for yourselves." He disappeared for a second, appearing a moment later behind Arianna, who was trying hard to conceal her disgust and horror as he swept her hair off her neck. "See? She enjoys my touch. They would rather die than allow you to harm me..."

Ginny and Arianna kept their wands pointed threateningly and Severus and Harry.

"Ladies, do you appreciate them interrupting us?" he asked smoothly and Ginny and Arianna responded in unison. "No."

"Kill them," he said and both girls took a step forward.

Ginny and Arianna shot each other a look quickly as Severus and Harry stepped back, unsure what they should try and do. Arianna blocked Severus' attempt to disarm them, and without saying away both girls said the spell that would burn the forest to the ground.

"What? No! What are you DOING?!" Amir screamed in horror, seeing their wands errupt with flames. Ginny and Arianna spun around quickly and touched it to his skin. He immediately began screaming as the blaze caught, lighting his whole body like he was doused in gasoline.

"Lets go!" Severus shouted over the screaming, grabbing Arianna's upper arm. She followd him out, both her and Ginny lighting dead brush and trees with the fire.

"That's enough!" Harry shouted as the fire began spreading and more screams were heard. Grabbing Ginny's arm both men apparated out of the now burning forest back into the tower, both taking the women to different locations.

Arianna looked around to see herself standing in Mungos. "I thought we couldn't apparate..." she said confusedly.

Severus just stared at her. "Why would you think that?"

"He told us..."

"Yes, and you should always believe a complete stranger," Severus said scathingly.

She rounded on him, furious. "Right, because I can completely believe you, can't I? This is the third time I've been taking against my will because of you! I wonder if this time you will offer me any answers or if I should just sit in the dark and wait for the next attempt!"

He looked slightly taken aback. "It's better if you don't know."

"Right. Clearly. Being nearly killed by Death Eaters, freezing water, and a VAMPIRE IS MUCH BETTER THAN NOT KNOWING!" she shouted.

He looked furious and grabbed her arm again, dragging her to a fire place and flooing her back to his London home. She stumbled out of the fireplace and he caught her, spinning her around into a chair.

"What do you want to know, Arianna?" he asked, the look in his eyes lethal.

"Everything." She looked at him defiantly. "What are you and Potter doing, you hate him?"

"Potter is an auror for the ministry, he is assigned to keep tabs on past death eaters. Who better to help him than me?"

"So you were a Death Eater then?"

"Yes."

"And are you still?"

He glared at her. "No."

"And you two, what, follow them around?"

"I give him information, he rescues the innocent and such and such. Hurray Potter," he added dryly.

"And I can't know because...?"

"Because if they invade your mind everything I tell you is right at the surface for any idiot with a wand to see," he spat.

"So then teach me how to repel it!" she yelled back. "I'm not quite as stupid as you seem to think I am!"

He roared in frusteration. "I DONT THINK YOURE STUPID!"

"THEN STOP TREATING ME LIKE I AM!"

The stared each other down, and he couldn't help but think that perhaps he had honestly met his match with her. She didn't seem afraid of him like most people. She looked determined.

"I'm not treating you like you are stupid. If you want to learn occlumency I will teach you," he conceded, watchingh her face soften.

"Thank you."

He nodded curtly. She stood up quickly. "I need to change. I look like Jane Austen vomitted all over me, and I'm pretty sure you're not my Mr. Darcy..."

He stared at her, mouth agape. "You're making...are you actually making a joke?"

"It's been known to happen once or twice," she muttered. He grabbed her by her shoulders and kissed her hard, so hard it was almost painful.

"You okay?" she asked breathy when he pulled apart.

"No. You are causing me to lose my sanity," he said, pressing his forehead against hers.

"And your hair," she added, pulling off a black strand from his shoulder. He rolled his eyes and then reached under his robe, pulling out her bracelet.

"I thought I lost it in the lake," she said, looking at it happily. He clapsed it on her wrist.

"Never again," he said, pulling her into a fierce hug. She pressed her face into his chest.

"Never again..."

----

See! I wasn't doing anything silly or awful! I just wanted Harry and Snape to bond! I feel that if they knew each other better they could understand each other!

Maybe not.

Okay, bed time. :)

333


	17. A little help from my friends

...I am sooo tired. I'm not sure if I will finish this now or just attempt to and then fall asleep. We'll see.

UPDATE: I know you all are so absorbed in my personal life (thats sarcasm), but the boyfriend and I ended things. So, sorry for the delay. Hope you like it!

---

Occlumency was going poorly for Arianna. Severus must know every humiliating thing that had ever happened to her by now though he never mentioned it.

"Try again," he said, and she steeled herself for a mental attack. He flicked his wand at her lazily and she began to work to repel him, but it was no use. Suddenly she knew they were both seeing her as a six year old falling off her roof into thorny bushes and breaking her leg, which faded into Bill Weasley breaking up with her, then her being trapped in a wardrobe which flowed into her as a fourth year being taunted by a Hufflepuff.

"ENOUGH!" she shouted, her knees buckling. "No more tonight."

Severus nodded curtly and withdrew his mental attack. Arianna sat crosslegged on his floor, her hair hanging around her face.

"Is something bothering you?" Severus asked.

"What do you think, when you see all that" She kept her head down. He frowned a bit.

"Everyone has things in their life that they're ashamed of," he said.

"Not even that. You've seen Bill break up with me twice, seen most everyone I went to school with picking on me, watched me accidently splinch three times, have seen every time I was punished by my parents or a teacher, once where you told me I was a dreadful potion maker, you saw me being attacked twice for being muggle born-" Severus cut her off.

"Like I said. Everyone has things they're ashamed of, you are no different. "

Arianna looked up at him, looking a little defiant. "I'm not a dreadful potions maker." He smirked.

"You learned from the best."

"HA!" she laughed, back to her old self. "If by the best you mean the grumpy man wizard who doesn't know what the color wheel is, then yeah, I suppose you are."

He scowled. "Don't you have to be up early tomorrow?"

Arianna had not had her own place ever since she traveled so much, but seeing as her traveling days were over, her and her friends Cynthia and Todd were talking about renting a place for the summer and what not to live in.

"Yeah, I do," she frowned.

"Do you think you can manage to stay safe or do I need to go with you?" He raised an eyebrow at the look of alarm on her face.

"No need for that. Besides, I haven't told either of them about you yet...you showing up would be confusing. Plus you seem to have the special talent of sucking the fun out of a room."

His scowl grew darker. "Good night, Arianna." She kissed his cheek.

"Good night Batman."

One of the things that bothered Arianna was Watertrunk. He had been let off of all charges, claiming he had been under the imperius curse, but they both knew better. Severus seemed willing to believe Watertrunks innocence despite the fact that Arianna swore he was as evil as Voldermort had been ugly.

"Evening Arianna," Watertrunk fell into step with her.

"Can I help you with something?" she snapped, walking quicker.

"You really should move past what happened between us, Arianna," he said, grabbing her wrist. She looked down as it, then up to his face again.

"I'm sorry, which part? Was it when you tried to kill me, kidnapped me, or lured me into a Death Eater trap? Or, maybe it was when you weasled your way out of punishment like the slippery snake you are."

His eyes flashed and gripped tightened. "I would watch your smart mouth, if I were you."

"Well I would but I only have two eyes, and they prefer to watch other things."

His eyes narrowed as he flung her wrist away from him. "See you around, Arianna."

She glared back, stalking off. She didn't think he would dare to try anything with Severus around, but then again, who knew? She certainly didn't.

The next morning Arianna found herself in jeans and a green form fitting half sleeved shirt, walking up to a building with her two favorite people in the world. On her left was Cynthia, who was tall, brunette, and beautiful like always. She looked like a runway model, and she knew it. This was only slightly irritating in the situating with Todd, whom Arianna thought Cynthia was destined to be with, but Arianna thought she was too good looking to be with Todd. Todd thought she was too snobby for him. Both of them were right, on a level. Where Cynthia was beautiful, Todd was normal. Normal brown hair, normal height, normal ministry job. Arianna loved it.

"I don't know about this," Cynthia scrunched up her face.

"It's fine, look, it's in the best part of London, that should suit you, "Todd read about the flat.

"And it's two stories!" Arianna added cheerfully.

"Yay, we get to watch Ari trip down stairs all summer," Cynthia rolled her eyes while Todd snickered.

"Watch me push you down them," Arianna muttered as they stepped inside for the tour.

The woman took them up and opened the door and the three just stared. "I love it," Cynthia declared, steppping into the spacious front hall. Arianna's eyes were wide with excitement and Todd looked just barely interested as they walked into the huge living room. Todd stepped out onto the deck. "Nice view," he commented.

"OHMYGOSH I found my room!" Cynthia squeeled.

"Good, no fighting then," Arianna walked up the stairs to the second floor, immediately claiming the first room she saw, which happened to be closest to the bathroom.

"Smallest room, how did I guess?" Todd peered into his new room.

"We'll take it!" Cynthia declared.

"Seriously, we might as well," Todd sighed and Arianna smiled happily.

"I want a fish!" Cynthia exclaimed. Todd and Arianna looked down at her.

"A fish?"

"You'll kill a fish," Todd said calmly.

"WILL NOT!" she yelled. "I kept our Chinchila alive for-"

"Twenty minutes, was it?" he interrupted.

"Two days!" she shot back.

"I think Todd's right," Arianna agreed. Cynthia huffed.

"You two are cruel."

"Yes, we are the cruel ones," Todd murmured only loud enough for Arianna to hear and she felt a twinge of pity for him. Todd loved Cynthia despite her attitude of general friendship towards him.

The three headed down to sign lease papers and work out an agreement as far as rent was concerenesd. She noticed Todd confunded the leasing agent into lowering their rate quite substatially.

"This is going to work out perfect," Cynthia sighed as they sat in a small cafe an hour later.

"I...yeah, you're right," Todd changed his sentence when Arianna kicked him under the chair.

"Hey, so when do we get to meet your new boyfriend?" Cynthia contiuned on, failing to notice how uncomfortable Arianna had just gotten. Todd did notice.

"Um...well, I mean...soon, if you want..."

"Something wrong?" Todd asked, studing her face.

"No," she said too quickly.

"What, is he a werewolf or something?"

"No, nothing like that. All wizard."

Cynthia smiled. "He can't be that bad, it's not like you're dating someone like...oh...professor Snape or something!" she laughed at her little joke, again, failing to notice the horrified look on Arianna's face.

"Ha...what, yeah...no....I mean..."

Todd caught on. "Is it professor Snape?!"

Cynthia stopped laughing to glare at Todd. "Do you see Ariana? She is beautiful despite her paleness! Snape is...creepy. No way, in a million years would Arianna even consider it. I mean, she'd have to see him naked, and can you imagine?"

Arianna could imagine. She was imagining it right then, it looked nice, just like she remembered.

"Snape isn't that bad..."

Cynthia laughed even louder. "Right! And You-Know-Who wasn't that evil! Seriously, why are we even having this conversation?"

Todd stared Arianna down. "Yeah...why are we, Ari?"

"Um..." her throat was dry. "Well...funny story really...see, I was...in Hogwarts...I mean, of course I was in Hogwarts, and I was-"

"Oh. My. GOD! NOOO! ARIANNA!" Cynthia yelled in horror. "Tell me you're not sleeping with one of your students!"

Arianna rolled her eyes. "Please."

"Oh thank God."

"Of course she's not," Todd interrupted, looking at Arianna shrewdly. "She's sleeping with one of her old teachers. Professor Snape, eh? What's that like?"

Cynthia turned her head slowly to look at her. "...Arianna...."

"It's really good, actually. I call him the sex god of the-" Cynthia cut her off shrieking "NO!!! NO! DONT SAY IT! PLEASE, NEVER DO I WANT TO PICTURE YOU AND HIM...OH...GROSS!"

Arianna was offended. "Why is that gross!"

"He's so..."

"What? Intelligent? Brave?"

"Ugly!"

"Of course," Todd sighed. "It always comes back to looks. You know, some people can look past that."

"Arianna is so cute! Besides, isn't he like, eighty?!"

Arianna was about to lose her temper. "NO! He's forty...something! Not old at all Cynthia! You've dated older for less noble reasons!"

Cynthia opened her mouth in outrage. "None were ever my teachers!"

"Yeah, but one was your dads best friends, wasn't it? Look, Severus has saved my life three times! I don't want to bring up James and how we rescued you from him when he was keeping your prisoner, but we did, and we still supported you, so try and support me!"

Todd and Cynthia looked stunned. "I don't see why we can't," he spoke first, smiling a bit.

Cynthia tried to smile bit it looked a little strangled. "Sure. Whatever makes you happy."

Arianna smiled. This is why she loved her friends.

"WE FOUND ONE WE FOUND ONE!!" she burst into Severus' room shouting this happily. He froze with a deer caught in the wand lights look.

"Severus, are those snowmen on your boxers?" Arianna asked, peering down at his boxers. He was apparently in the middle of changing.

"They most certainly are not." he said stuffily, putting on his sleeping clothes.

"Sure looked like it. Anyway, we found a flat at a dead good price and it's soooo pretty!" she gushed, flopping on his bed.

"Excellent," he said sourly.

"It is excellent," she pouted, flouncing onto the bed. "I told my friends about us."

He looked surprised for a half a milisecond. "What was they're reaction?"

She shrugged. "They were good with it."

"So if I happen by your flat this summer..." he raised an eyebrow at her.

"You better!" Arianna stuck out her tounge. "And I'm sure they would make you a lovely meal...or something."

His brow furrowed. "Or something...hm."

Arianna stopped letting him waste time and began kissing him quite enthusiastically.


	18. A moment of nothing

Sorry this took forever, and also sorry for my lack of girl power, but breaking up is a tad miserable. If you feel me shout "YEAH!" loudly into the air, preferably while members of your family or roommates are sleeping. And yeah, I know, a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bycicle, but that doesn't make you miss the random person you (I) were (was) dating for nearly three years.

Hokay. Less me, more Snape.

----

Easter approached and Severus was facing a dilema.

"My family wants to see you," Arianna said one night while sitting in one of his arm chairs reading over several essays. He looked up at her in alarm.

"What? Again?"

"Well, yeah. I think they liked you, despite your chilly attitude."

Severus frowned at this, reflecting upon his last visit, which he though he had behaved quite amicably given the circumstances.

"I was pleasant...I wore board shorts for Merlins sake!"

Nothing else had been said about the matter and he assumed it had been dropped, that Arianna must have forgotten it in the nearing of the end of the term exam preperation.

"Have you decided if you want to come visit my family again?" Arianna asked on the last day before the Easter break.

Severus grimaced. "Yes."

"And...?"

"And I think we...should...stay here," he said quietly. Arianna arched a brow.

"Stay here and do what, exactly?"

He scowled. "Whatever it is people do. If you wish to go, Arianna, don't let me stop you."

She huffed and pouted, but in the end she went alone. She couldn't blame him for not wanting to go, not really, when she remembered how obnoxious her dad had been towards him and she imagined she would not have wanted to go either. It didn't make her feel any less angry, however, as she also felt that he should want to be with her.

She forgot she was dealing with Severus Snape and not Romeo. Severus would have cut off his own leg than admit publicly how he felt.

"Honey, can we talk?" Arianna's attention snapped up to her mother who was standing quietly in her door frame.

"Sure, what's up?" Arianna asked, watching her mom come into her old bedroom.

"I just want to ask you about Severus."

Arianna's eyes narrowed. "What about him."

"It's clear you feel very strongly about him, but I raised my children to stay away from men...like him..." her mother looked aprehensive.

"What do you mean...men like him?"

"He's just.."

"He fought bravely against you-know-who!" Arianna jumped up to her feet. "Whatever he may have been like, he's not like that anymore and it shouldn't be held against him!"

Arianna stormed out.

So, all in all it was an awful holiday. Her mother way barely spoke to her after their chat and Arianna remained moody and quiet during her stay. She was glad to be back at Hogwarts, minus her frequent run ins with Watertrunk.

"When are you going to believe that he is lying?!" she demanded of Severus one evening. Severus shot her a nasty look.

"When he proves that he is, in fact, lying."

Arianna sighed in frusteration. "How can I prove to you he is?!"

"Stop meddling where you don't belong! This is why you are constantly into trouble!" Snape growled, picking his book back up and disappering behind it.

Her eyes were practically slits as she glared at him. She would prove to him Watertrunk was lying...just watch her...

---

Sorry it's so short!


	19. Love

SORRY. DONT KILL ME I LOVE YOU.

---

Arianna had become increasingly moody and sullen. Severus had not changed in the slightest, or if he had, it was only to be more cheerful at Arianna's behavior. He rather enjoyed her attitude, having found it obnoxious to always be around someone so upbeat. To him, this was proof she was a living, breathing human being and not a robot as he had been suspecting.

However, her attititude also had it's drawbacks, one of which was he saw considerbly less of her as she spent most of her time sulking around the castle. He would stumble upon her wandering about the castle in random places. He knew his refusal to believe that Watertrunk was up to anything more sinister than transfiguring water goblets into gold fish was behind most of her moodiness, but he refused to look into his mind for the simple reason that Severus was RETIRED. He had spent a good many years of his life probing peoples minds and working under cover, and since Voldermorts demise Severus had enjoyed the quiet life.

Arianna had stumbled into his life at a time he felt the most calm and peace since his whole ordeal, and her energy tended to exhaust him. He knew that whatever she had planned as far as Watertrunk was concerned would probably be overly dramatic and possibly life threatening to her, she was more than proved that she was capable of taking care of herself, so he was going to sit this one out and let her be a big girl.

Arianna was more than frusterated with Severus' indifferent attitude, and how he found her sulking humourous. He never seemed to be around when Watertrunk was behaving the way she so often told him he was, instead finding her shouting at him, or worse, following him.

"Severus, I don't think I will continue working in the castle next year," she told him one night as she got ready for bed.

"Oh?" he asked, seeming mildly interested as he looked over his paper.

"Would that bother you?" she asked, sitting indian style on his bed.

"Well," he paused, setting down his paper. "I imagine it would. I am rather fond of you, surely you must know that."

She frowned. "That's it?"

Severus stood up and came over to where Arianna was on the bed. "What has gotten into you lately?"

She frowned deeper. "Don't you love me?"

He blinked. "Yes. I thought you knew that?"

"Well, you've never said it."

He grimaced. "I...love you, Arianna. Do you think I would continue to save your life if I did not...even spend several days with Potter?"

She flung her arms around his neck. "I love you! So much!" she said, kissing him with the most enthusiasm he had seen out of her in about two weeks.

"That is all that was needed to make you behave?"

She grinned. "Oh, I hardly plan on behaving."

Which was perfectly okay as far as Severus was concerned.


	20. A small summer gathering

Am I the only one who still really likes Brittany Spears? Just curious.

SORRY THIS IS SO LATE! Also, check out my Sirius Black story, if you're into that sort of thing. :D

LOVE YOU!

* * *

Severus was acting weird. Arianna didn't notice it at first as he was so anti social it wasn't something that jumped out at her. However, when she reflected on it later one evening she realized he was almost avoiding her. This had caused a bit of paranoia with her, thinking was going to end things with her, until she realized that if Severus was going to end things with her he would tape a note to her door. Emotional displays were uncomfortable for him, and breaking up with a person was the epitome of the exact thing he shied away from.

This, however, left her with no ideas on what was going on with him. She had considered asking him, but couldn't imagine what she would say. Somehow walking up to him and saying, "hey, why are you avoiding me?" seemed a little ridiculous, even for her.

So she kept her distance, watching him and concentrating on her students and potions. The school year was ending soon and she was getting her exams ready, using Severus's from years past as a model.

"Last week," she said conversationally to him one night in his room.

"Mmmm," he said back, not looking up from his book. That was discouraging.

"Anything fun planned during the summer?" she asked, trying to keep her tone bright.

"No."

She sighed loudly, looking back down at the exam she was finishing. He didn't look up or acknowledge that he had heard her at all.

The next two hours were spent in complete silence until she stood up, gathering up her parchment.

"Well...I'm going to go then..." she said awkwardly. He looked up at her, seemingly confused.

"Are you leaving?" he asked.

"Do you not want me to?" she asked back.

"You just normally stay," he responded, looking back down at his book.

"Yeah. I was just under the impression you wanted to be left alone."

He looked back up at her, startled. "Why did you think that?"

"You've just been a little...distant...lately."

He frowned. "No I haven't."

She sighed, setting her stuff back down. "Do you want me to stay?"

"It's up to you.

She picked her stuff back up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Good night Severus."

He watched her leave, confused. He couldn't figure out why she was leaving when he just told her he wanted her to stay.

"Last day of term," she said to him at dinner that night. She hadn't spent the night with him in forever, and had forgotten how good he smelled.

He grunted in response, so she turned her attention to Flitwick, having an cheerful conversation with him.

"Arianna. Arianna," Severus interrupted her.

"Yeah?" she turned towards him, still laughing at Flitwicks joke.

"Can you meet me downstairs tonight? We need to...talk about something."

Arianna immediately began panicking. Maybe she had been wrong, maybe he would do it in person. They hadn't been close in weeks, and she couldn't remember the last time he had asked her to be alone with him.

"Is everything okay?" she asked nervously.

"Just, can you?"

"Okay."

He got up and left, leaving Arianna very upset at the table. She couldn't finish her food, it wouldn't go past the large lump that had formed in her throat. She ended up leaving dinner early and wandering around the castle for an hour until she found herself in the dungeons. She knocked once and then entered to see Severus looking uncomfortable, and oddly enough, dressed up.

"What's up?" she asked.

"Come in," he told her nervously, closing the door behind her.

"Okay," she mumbled, sitting down in a chair.

"Um...so...I've been thinking about some things regarding you and I, and I have come to a conclusion."

"Okay. Well, I think I know what you're going to say, and that's fine. I'll leave you alone," she jumped up miserably, not wanting to hear him actually say the words. He looked at her confused.

"Excuse me?"

"You...don't want...you know. This. Anymore. So, that's fine."

"Arianna, sit down," he said impatiently. The look on his face was a little scary, which was familiar to her, so she sat, looking up at his face, still nervous.

"You're ridiculous," he said, putting his hand into his cloak and pulling out what she assumed was his wand. She scooted back, but it was just a black box. A small, black box.

"Severus?" she asked as he handed her the box.

"Just open it," he mumbled, looking around. So she did. Inside was a small white diamond on a intricate silver band.

"Are you...?" she trailed off, laughing out loud.

"You don't have to say yes."

"Is that what's been going on?" she asked, putting the ring on. He mumbled something indistinct, but she wasn't listening, too busy examining the ring.

"I literally never expected this," she gushed, still staring at it.

"Is that a yes?"

"Of course it's a yes! I thought you were ending things with me!" she flew out of her chair and hugged him tightly.

"You're ridiculous. Don't go over board with this," he added, giving her a threatening look.

"Of course not. A nice summer wedding, with friends and family and staff members and..." she began trailing off, not noticing the look of horror on his face.

"I mean it Arianna. Very small."

"Okay. Arianna Snape," she added, just for her own benefit. He smiled despite himself.

"Sounds nice."

She kissed him softly. "Yes it does.


	21. Elope

Older-love, I love you. :))))))) (-double chins! hahaha!)

* * *

"This is hard," Arianna complained, twisting her ring around her finger in annoyance. Her friends were out of town, she was pouring through weddingy things with her mother. Her mother was lovely, and she loved her, but her mother was OBNOXIOUS.

"What about yellow?" her mother asked, indicating to several lovely mens dress robes in yellow.

"Somehow I can't imagine Severus in yellow," Arianna commented dryly.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" her dad commented as he passed through.

"Well, I'm not getting any younger," Arianna told him cheekily.

"And Merlin knows Snape isn't either," her dad shot right back, leaving the room.

"I think he would look lovely in yellow," her mother said causing Arianna to frown.

"No, he's too pale for yellow."

"There is no such thing as 'too pale for yellow'."

Arianna was fighting a losing battle.

"TWO HUNDRED?!" Severus dropped a bowl. Lucky for him it was plastic, or it would have shattered. Arianna still winced.

"Yeah...my mum is going a bit...over board..."

"I don't know even fifty people!" he ranted, looking slightly insane.

"Er...yeah...well...my family is pretty large..." she looked down at her feet, afraid he might kill her.

"I thought we had an agreement?" he asked, sounding angrier than usual.

"What do you want me to do? My mom has been planning this wedding since I was born? 'Oh, sorry mom, I'm going to have to crush all the hopes and dreams you had for me because Severus is being bat shit scared!'"

"It's not about her, it's about you!"

"It's about me and you!" she yelled back, looking him dead in the face. She almost wished she hadn't, he looked really scary, but she wasn't about to back down now.

"Exactly," he said to her, his voice lethal. "It's about you and I. Not you, I, your mother and two hundred of her closest friends."

She just shrugged, looking past him. "If you don't like it, don't show up," she said simply, walking out of the room. Severus groaned in frusteration and picked up the bowl in defeat. This was not what he had in mind.

Things had not gotten better between Severus and Arianna, and Arianna didn't find it hard to stay away from him. He was moody and sullen most of the time, making planning a wedding completely unbareable. She had attempted to give him back his ring twice, telling him they could just live together in sin for the rest of their lives, but he refused, insisting she have a proper wedding.

"Mom." Arianna wandered into her parents home one afternoon.

"Hello darling. Your dress came," she said, showing Arianna the large poofy number Arianna had specifically said she did NOT want.

"Oh...thats....yeah. Can we talk?" she asked, wandering into the living room only to be shocked by piles of food.

"We need to figure out what to serve."

Arianna stood there frozen. "Um..."

Two hours later, Arianna was pretty sure she was going to be sick.

"Mom...no more..." she groaned, leaning over the edge of the sofa.

"We're not done though," her mom frowned.

"I know...can I just...twenty minutes," Arianna said, and without waiting for a response she apparated to Severus'. She pounded on the door hard until he answered.

"Arianna, are you aware of the time...?" he trailed off, looking at her concerned.

"Are you alright?"

"Elope with me. Right now," she said, grabbing his hand. "Just me and you, no one else."

"What about your parents?"

"We can come back and do that one, but let's elope now."

Severus wrapped his arms around her and kissed her, slowly, deeply, and she pushed up against him hard until he hit the doorframe. He began kissing her harder, his grip around her fiercely tight and almost possesive. He growled low in this throat, picking her up and shutting the door behind them as he carried her up to his room.

"I...mean...it..."she breathed out as he kissed her. "Elope with me." He silenced her with his mouth, tugging at the hem of her shirt. She drug her hands through his hair and arched up, forgetting everything except him and her.

Later in the evening, or maybe morning, she wasn't sure, Arianna had her head on Severus' chest, her fingers drumming a random tune on his arm.

"We can't elope," he murmured softly into her hair.

"We can do whatever we want. We're adults," she said back, twisting so she could look back up into his face.

"If it is twelve hours of making your mom happy while allowing the world the chance to know you are marrying me, then we should do it. I'm only marrying you once."

Arianna's eyes were getting droopy. "Hokay..."

"Go to sleep..." he whispered, and it was the last thing she heard before drifting off...


	22. Wedding

To say Arianna was nervous would be an understatement. Arianna was flipping out, to say the least. She stood in front of a mirror staring at herself, finally in her wedding dress, but she wasn't really seeing herself.

"You look beautiful," her mother said, adjusting her veil for the ninth time in five minutes. Arianna impatiently brushed her mothers hand away with her own.

"Stop fussing mom," she instructed, trying to keep her breathing normal and light. "Is he out there?"

"Yes honey. Waiting for you," her mother frowned. Arianna was making everyone wait, so sure Severus would leave just the second he could get away.

"He's not going anywhere baby. Let's stop making him wait," her mom gently took her elbow and guided her to the door. Arianna swallowed, hugged her mom, and then walked out into the hallway.

"I'm ready," she told Cynthia, her maid of honor.

"It's about time, these shoes are killing me," Cynthia complained before donning a cheerful smile and walking out. Arianna heard the music start up and could hear the rustling of clothing as people swiveled around, preparing for her entrance.

"It's now or never," her dad said, offering her his elbow. She smiled and took it, and together they stepped forward.

Her eyes locked on Severus's, and in that instant she forgot about all the people watching her. She was barely aware of her father kissing her cheek through her veil.

"Took you long enough," Severus whispered to her as he took her hand. Arianna grinned sheepishly, though she knew he couldn't see her face.

"Sorry."

He smiled back at her and the two fell silent, listening to the preacher talk about true, everlasting love.

When they got to the vows, Arianna was surprised Severus had something prepared for her instead of reciting the words spoken by millions before them.

"Arianna," he began, looking painfully aware of everyone else around him. "Since I said I loved you, it's never been the same since then."

She smiled at him and nodded, knowing how difficult that small display in front of all these strangers had been for him.

The preacher looked expectantly at Arianna.

"Ahem...um...Severus," she started nervously, casting around in her brain before coming across the cheesiest thing she could think of. "You are the wind beneath my wings."

He looked at her confusedly and she was grateful he could not see her face as they exchanged rings.

"....you may kiss your bride."

Severus lifted her veil up hesitantly, and she knew he was uncomfortable kissing her in front of all these people. He paused when he saw her face, so she made her move, putting a hand behind his head and kissing him hard. She was surprised to feel his arm wrap around her waist and pull her against him. They broke apart slightly breathless and he swept her off her feet, their eyes still locked, Arianna grinning from ear to ear as the audience applauded.

"I know introduce you to the new Mr. and Mrs. Severus Snape," the preacher called out from behind them, but Arianna wasn't paying attention.

"It finally happened," she laughed, kicking her feet out a bit.

"Yes it did Mrs. Snape," he responded, smiling as much as Severus could. Arianna just grinned.

"I love the way that sounds," she smiled as the two climbed into the limo.

"We have to go to the reception," she chided as his hand slid up her dress.

"Yeah," he grinned, totally unlike-Severus behavior, "It's an hour ride. We've got time."


	23. A surprise

I'm sure you will all be able to tell where this is going in about ten seconds, but poor Severus has no idea...

* * *

Severus and Arianna got home from their honeymoon just in time to start the new school year. Arianna took her post back as potions master, and Severus continued on with DADA. Arianna had been feeling kind of sick lately at really odd times, but was chalking it up to all that mountain air they had experienced on their honeymoon.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Severus asked for the the millionth time during breakfast on their first day of class.

"I'm fine, stop asking," she snapped back at him, irritated. She was trying to eat her eggs, which tasted delicious one minute and revolting the next. Severus continued to watch her out of the corner of his eye. It was so like Arianna to finally give him everything he had secretly ever wanted in life and then go and get deathly sick. Severus had made an oath to keep her safe the moment he agreed to be her husband, and he would be damned if anything, including her irritable mood, got in the way of that.

Arianna, unable to stand the noise of the great hall, and unwilling to eat another bite of food, stood up and walked out without even saying goodbye to Severus. He was on her nerves.

Severus watched her walk away, totally perplexed. He didn't know where this sudden bad attitude was coming from, because it was certainly not Arianna at all. She was always unfailing cheerful, even in near death experiences, and in the last three days she had been hot and cold without being able to explain it. Not that he had asked her what was going on. He wasn't stupid, and he knew personally that she had a mean right arm.

Severus spent the rest of the day preoccupied on Arianna, who, if his students were to be believed (which was rarely), was in a foul mood. He would have been pleased at the way she was terrorizing the first years if he wasn't slightly concerned that her attitude had something to do with him.

As soon as his last class was over he walked brusquely down to the dungeon where he found his wife throwing up into an empty cauldron.

"That's it, we're taking you to the hospital wing," he gripped the top of her arm, which only caused her to throw up onto his robes.

"I'm fine," she said, wiping vomit off of her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Clearly," he said sarcastically back. Arianna stood up at her full height, intending to fight him on this, but immediately heaved again, narrowly missing throwing up all over his shoes.

"Okay," she conceded. Severus scooped her up and walked quickly up to the hospital wing, ignoring all inquisitive looks given by passing students.

"Severus, what is going on?" Madam Pomfrey asked, looking at an irritated and pale Arianna.

"My wife...has been throwing up a lot lately," Severus informed her. Madam Pomfrey and Arianna exchanged a glance. "What? What's going on?" Severus asked, worried because now he knew he was missing something.

"Have you...?"

"No," Arianna cut her off before she could confirm what she secretly suspected.

"Well, there is a simple spell to find out..."

"Severus, would you mind leaving us alone for a moment?" Arianna asked Severus.

Severus walked out without a word, fuming that his own wife couldn't explain to him what was going on.

Arianna allowed Madam Pomfrey point a spell at her stomach, and muttered the incantation. They both stared at the air in front of them as a pink plus materialized.

"It's what I thought," Arianna whispered softly, watching the pink plus slowly fade. "I need to go talk to...Sev..." she stumbled out of Poppys office, and smacked immediately into Severus, who was apparently pacing right outside.

"Well?" he demanded.

"Lets...lets go and talk about this somewhere more private," she said, still in a daze. Arianna had suspected she might be pregnant about two weeks ago, when she hadn't gotten a period, but had been trying to put it out of her mind, because she afraid of Severus's reaction. They had never once talked about having children and she was sure it was something he had never wanted. She was terrified to tell him the truth, and even considered lying to him, but figured he would probably notice something was up when she blew up like a balloon.

"What is going on?" he demanded when they reached their private quarters.

"I'm pregnant." she blurted out, staring at his face. She wasn't surprised to see shock cross his face, but then it went smooth.

"Pregnant?"

"Pregnant." She confirmed.

"Is it a boy, or a girl?" he asked, sinking down into his chair.

"I'm not sure yet...you're...you're not mad?" she asked him. His head snapped up at her.

"Why would I be mad at you? It's our baby!" Severus cracked a rare smile.

"You're gonna be a really good dad," she told him. Severus didn't say anything, he was too wrapped up in the idea of him, Arianna, and a baby. He hoped it was a girl.


End file.
